A Siġġiewi construction plant is carrying out illegal operations, violating its planning permits, crawling out of its designated operating site, and creating a waste dump that is changing the landscape of the village, the locality's council said on Friday.
Addressing a press conference flanked by councillors on the Siġġiewi bypass, mayor Dominic Grech said residents and farmers have for months complained about a massive construction waste dump that has become an eyesore and also generates uncontrolled dust.
The Local Council said the construction dump has grown so big that it is changing Siġġiewi's landscape. PHOTO: Siġġiewi Local Council.The councillors added that the waste dumping is detrimental to residents' health and wellbeing, farmers' crops and to the tourism industry.
Farmers themselves have reported that the plant operations are contaminating their crops, with some even saying their trees died due to the contamination.
Residents complained of uncontrolled dust generated by the site. PHOTO: Siġġiewi Local Council.The plant, operated by excavating contractors C & J Bonavia Ltd, is situated in Burgabrun street, limits of Siġġiewi.
The plant, operated by excavating contractors C & J Bonavia Ltd, is situated in Burgabrun street, limits of Siġġiewi. PHOTO: Chris Sant Fournier.In a report commissioned by the local council, architect Neil Felice found that the operator is not allowed to let the waste dump grow higher than three metres. However, on Friday morning it had grown so large, that seen from the Siġġiewi bypass, it is no less poignant than a small, white hill.
The construction waste dump is not allowed to grow higher than three metres, but on Friday it looked no less poignant than a small, white hill.The operator must also clear all waste within 48 hours, which is another law that is being violated, the mayor said.
'We are against sanctioning of illegalities'
"The report found the operator has also built a number of structures around the site, all of which are illegal. Furthermore, the operations are slowly crawling out of the designated working site and onto public land," Grech added.
"The operator is now asking the planning authority to sanction these structures, but we are against this sanctioning. If the operator was not granted permission to build them in the first place, they shouldn't be sanctioned."
The Siġġiewi Mayor and councillors held a press conference on the Siġġiewi Bypass on Friday. PHOTO: Chris Sant Fournier.'Situation unbearable'
The problem has persisted for months, but the situation escalated and became particularly unbearable over the last three months.
"We insist that the authorities take action to stop the illegalities," Grech told reporters.
"We will continue to monitor the situation and will consider harsher measures if the authorities don't step in to enforce the law."
The report also found the site contained illegally dumped car parts and tyres. PHOTO: Siġġiewi Local Council.'Illegally dumped car parts, tyres'
The report also found the site contained illegally dumped car parts and tyres, and that workers are mishandling contaminated oil, all the while violating the environmental impact assessment.
The local council handed the report to the authorities a few days ago and called on the planning authority and the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) to visit the site and establish the facts for themselves.
Questions were sent to the operator and ERA.