Council roadworks damage Gharb cave

Roadworks commissioned by Gharb council have caused irreparable damage to the roof of an old underground cave which the Museum Department and the Malta Environment and Planning Authority would like to preserve.

The circular cave has a 20-foot diameter and was classified by the Museum Department as "a subterranean structure of archaeological importance".

When contacted, Gharb mayor David Apap Aguis initially said he had no comment to make but, when pressed, said the work "was done as it should".

The cave, hewn out by hand, lies in Sdieri Street and parts of it underlie the property of Giovanni Zammit. Mr Zammit bought a small tract of adjacent property which had an entrance to the cave and cleaned it to preserve it.

A Mepa spokesman said there were various theories about what the cave was meant to be. Some argued it was a Paleo-Christian or Punic burial place or an underground chapel. A Byzantine cross is hewn over the door leading to it. Others argue it was an animal pen or a mill where grain was ground.

"It could have had more than one purpose as its use changed over time. But whatever it was, a lot of time and effort went into making it as it was very well hewn in the rock," the Mepa spokesman said.

There are three or four similar underground caverns in Gozo and the priority is to conserve them in the best possible state so that they may be studied in future, the spokesman said.

When asked for details, Mr Zammit said the problems started when the council wanted to improve and embellish the square off Sdieri Street, following twinning with Gerano, a village to the west of Rome.

The embellishment included the resurfacing of both the square and Sdieri street. Mr Zammit said he had originally written to the local council informing them about the cave, which was underlying the road, and which was likely to be damaged if works went ahead.

At that time, on the recommendation of the museum authorities, Mr Zammit had cleared all the rubble from a portion of the cave.

An enforcement notice was issued to both Mr Zammit, who was asked to stop clearing the rubble, and to the council, banning them from doing any roadworks until an acceptable solution for the preservation of the cave was found.

Mr Zammit said that attempts to solve the issue involved Mepa, the Lands and Museum departments as well as the Gozo heritage group Wirt Ghawdex, whose representatives went on site.

Mepa then wanted Gharb council to provide information on how works could proceed without damaging the cave. The council said that to save the cavern would cost Lm1,700, and that there would be problems with run-off water. Gharb council wanted to carry out the works as originally planned.

Mr Zammit said he had asked his own architect to come up with another solution which involved making a hump by the pavement, similar to a sleeping policeman, that would protect the roof of the cave and which would cost a mere Lm300. This plan was also submitted to Mepa.

But in January, in spite of the existing enforcement notice, works continued and the top of the cave was shorn off. The Museum Department and Mepa intervened with another enforcement notice to stop the works and, after wrangling with Gharb council, it was decided that the cave should be sealed off to prevent further damage. An application to sanction the road works by Gharb council is still pending before Mepa.

Mr Apap Agius acknowledged when contacted that enforcement notices had been issued, but argued that the council "did not break the law". Asked whether he felt the council should set an example, Mr Apap Aguis said "you can write what you like".

"The works are ready and I acted on instructions of Mepa. I have not broken any law," he insisted.

A Mepa spokesman said the application to sanction the works was still pending and ways had to be found to undo the damage.

"Mepa has not sanctioned the works. All we did was ensure that the cave was temporarily closed so that it will not be damaged further," the spokesman said.