Kalkara Valley 'monument of shame'

Environmental organisations descended upon Kalkara Valley en masse yesterday to condemn the development which they described as a "monument of shame".

Kalkara mayor Michael Cohen went one step further and threatened to resort to legal action if the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) continued to 'abdicate' its responsibilities.

Thirteen organisations joined forces to voice their concerns yesterday - Alternattiva Demokratika, Ananda Marga, Argotti Botanic Gardens, Ceratonia, Din l-Art Helwa, Dripht, Friends of the Earth, Genista Foundation, Inizjamed, Moviment Graffitti, Nature Trust, Ramblers Association and the Kalkara council.

The pressure groups did not need to say anything to prove the inconvenience caused when a truck involved in the construction drove past at the start of a news conference, whipping up huge clouds of dust in the ironically named Triq il-Progress.

The development in the valley has long been a bone of contention, but the pressure groups are now taking exception - especially to the uprooted trees in the valley.

On Wednesday, MEPA confirmed that carob trees were uprooted from Kalkara valley illegally and enforcement action was being taken against the developer. The developer is insisting he has the necessary permits to fell the trees in question.

But the organisations claimed that MEPA officials were not doing enough to monitor the rape of the valley.

Speaking on behalf of the organisations, Annalise Falzon from Nature Trust said the development would mean the loss of a huge green area in a zone already packed with buildings.

Despite the continuous protests, trees have been uprooted and rubble walls destroyed, Ms Falzon said.

She warned that the development could aggravate the flooding problem in the area to the detriment of the existing residents. One resident was heard complaining that the construction work had even damaged her property.

Mr Cohen criticised MEPA for giving the go-ahead to construction in the valley without indicating who should assume responsibility for building water culverts.

The fact that the authority had demanded that 18 trees were planted to compensate for the number of uprooted trees was negligible and does not reflect the damage being unleashed.

Mr Cohen said he was holding MEPA and Environment Minister George Pullicino responsible for the damage suffered by the residents.