Farmers call on hotel to stop using boreholes

Seven farmers yesterday called on the Civil Court to stop a hotel operator from extracting fresh water from at least seven boreholes situated in part beneath the hotel and in part on nearby land.

Farmers Kristinu Mifsud, Censu Xuereb, Louis Cini, Emanuel Mifsud, John Fenech, Cristinu Borg and Martin Grima filed an application for a warrant of prohibitory injunction against Carmel Polidano in his personal capacity and as operator of the Barcelona Riviera Resort and against Polidano Brothers Limited.

The farmers claimed the boreholes were illegal and that the authorities had issued an enforcement notice on July 11 by which respondents were prohibited from making use of the boreholes as they had been excavated without the necessary permits.

But respondents had continued to make use of the boreholes, and the farmers, all of whom worked the fields on a full-time basis, were deprived of water from their own boreholes, all of which were licensed.

The water in the farmers' boreholes had been drawn up by respondents through their boreholes, and the farmers' livelihood was being prejudiced.

The farmers concluded their application by claiming that as a result of the respondents' actions they were unable to irrigate their crops.

Dr Angelo Farrugia signed the application.