Clean air campaign

Following the publication of Mrs Marjorie Bonnici's letter on September 8 we have received another encouraging letter:

Dear Ms Bonnici (via Adrian Muscat Inglott),

Regarding your letter in The Sunday Times Customer Service Column (September 8) count me in for any group to try and get clean air. Often while driving, especially up to Rabat, I try to hold my breath when caught behind a bus. This is not a safe practice.

My property in Saqqajja is filthy with black soot from buses and trucks. Once I tried my own campaign. I made a list of offenders which is easy to compile because there are so many.

On the other hand however, for the same reason, it was not so easy to list them all while driving, even though I was not counting buses. I telephoned the police to inform the wardens about this list. They thought I was crazy and that was that.

I have chronic lung problems but, even without that, one whiff of these foul polluting fumes gives me an instant headache. At least it is good to know someone else notices. (Sarah Warren Cassar)

Although this letter is both encouraging and discouraging, we must focus on the encouraging aspect of it. At this stage Mrs Bonnici, Mrs Warren Cassar and I ought to meet to explore the possibility of a campaign for clean air. Therefore, I ask them to send me their telephone numbers. If we want this campaign to be effective, we will need all the help and support we can get.

In this spirit I appeal to any readers who feel that we deserve clean air, to stand up and be counted. One of the eight internationally recognised and accepted consumer rights is the right to a clean and healthy environment. We are being denied this right every day and everywhere.