A quarry that has been illegally backfilled to several storeys high is posing a “very dangerous situation” for a neighbouring farmer, who fears that falling boulders or a landslide could cause serious injury and damage to his property.

Over recent years, Angelo Giordmaina’s farm in the Lunzjata area of Rabat has been increasingly encroached upon by the adjacent quarry.

According to Giordmaina, 63, the backfilled quarry reached ground level about four years ago, but since then, it has continued to rise ever higher.

In the past five months alone, the “rubble mountain” next to the farm’s boundary wall has doubled in size, heightening Giordmaina’s concerns.

“The danger here is a matter of life and death. A boulder could roll down and hit me, or the entire mass of rubble could come crashing down in a landslide,” he warned.

Architect Godwin Abela, who surveyed the area in July, prepared a report urging immediate action.

“To avoid potential tragedy, all activities at the quarry site must be stopped without further delay, as they are creating a very dangerous situation to the underlying properties,” Abela stated in his report.

He further recommended the immediate removal of the existing rubble mountain, noting that the situation could be exacerbated by heavy rains, potentially leading to a landslide.

MEPA [the PA] and ERA should thank us because there are no other places to deposit waste. They should be paying us- Quarry owner Paul Falzon

During a visit to the farm by the Times of Malta, Giordmaina highlighted another big problem: dust.

“When there’s a south-westerly wind, dust blows all over the farm, turning even the trees white. I have to rinse them off with a water hose almost daily,” he said.

Giordmaina’s farm suffered damage last year when a landslide, triggered by a storm, destroyed the boundary wall and buried several trees in the process. A retiree, Giordmaina has deep roots in the Rabat farm, having known it since he was a small boy.

“I’ve been here almost since I was born. I remember being here with my mother and father,” he reminisced.

Now retired, though he still cultivates vegetables on his farm, Giordmaina spends all his days on the farm.

“I arrive here early in the morning and stay until it gets dark... I practically live here. I don’t go anywhere else.”

He lodged complaints about the illegal works with the Environmental Resources Authority and also filed police reports.

Quarry owner Paul Falzon said he is doing nothing wrong.

But the owner continues disregarding enforcement notices and stop-work orders issued by two authorities, he said.

Two active enforcement notices from the Planning Authority (PA) date back to 2005 and 2009, respectively.

In April 2019, Tlata Ltd, led by quarry owner Paul Falzon, applied for a PA permit to “backfill the existing quarry, construct a concrete batching plant, and establish a concrete block manufacturing plant.”

The application was refused, but the backfilling continued regardless.

In the same month, the Environmental and Resources Authority issued a stop-work order against Tlata Ltd.

Replies to a parliamentary question last year revealed that the company had been subjected to daily fines as a result. Environment Minister Miriam Dalli informed opposition MP Ian Vassallo that in September 2019, the ERA had refused another request by the applicant to backfill the quarry.

Contacted by the Times of Malta, Falzon defended his actions.

“We are backfilling the quarry to restore the area to its original state,” he said.

He claimed the company is providing a valuable service by offering a place for people to dispose of construction waste.

“MEPA [the PA] and ERA should thank us because there are no other places to deposit waste. They should be paying us,” Falzon argued.

Repeatedly questioned about the illegality of the operation, Falzon responded: “that’s what you say.”

Times of Malta also contacted ERA to see whether the authority is taking any further action.