No measures have been taken to stop the illegal operation of a quarry in Gozo, being used without a permit for the dumping of construction waste.
Despite a ‘Stop and Compliance Order’ issued by the Environment and Resources Authority last month, the operators continue to defy the law, with the environment authorities failing to call in the police or take any other effective measures to close off the illegal operation.
Until Monday, truckloads of construction material from various ongoing development projects around the islan, dumped their waste inside the quarry, known as Tal-Misraħ, in the limits of San Lawrenz.
The quarry is situated adjacent to another quarry, known as Ta’ Qasam San Pawl, where a concrete batching plant is also operating without a permit.
Though both quarries are officially owned by various businessmen in the construction industry, Times of Malta is informed the Gozitan construction magnate Joseph Portelli is a ‘silent partner’ in both quarries.
Stop and Compliance Order meant the quarry operations had to come to a complete halt
In the case of Tal-Misraħ, the quarry is officially owned by brothers Randu and Joseph Zammit.
However, its operation was recently transferred to a group of developers, headed by Joseph Portelli of J Portelli Projects.
On October 2, shortly after stating that action against the illegal dumping quarry was “imminent”, a spokesman for ERA, responsibly for permitting such operations, confirmed that it had issued a ‘Stop and Compliance Order’, meaning that the quarry operations had to come to a complete halt.
According to ERA, both activities, the dumping of construction waste and excavation of limestone, had to be halted.
The ERA did not respond to questions sent yesterday why it had not yet called in the police but said it was looking into the matter.
Faced with a similar case involving an illegal batching plant, which continued with its activities despite explicit orders by the PA to stop, the Office of the Prime Minister put the onus on the ‘independent authorities’ stating they were responsible to act and uphold the rule of law.
Sources said ERA’s potential enforcement against the Tal-Misraħ activities would not have any bearing on the construction industry in Gozo since another three quarries are permitted to take construction waste.
ERA said that quarries in Qala, Kerċem and in Ta’ Xrejjaħ in San Lawrenz are permitted to accept inert waste legally.