Dusty road works

The news report Alarming Level Of Dust In The Air (April 3) highlighted the primitive techniques used to extract and process limestone. I would like to add that bad work practices on our streets also contribute to the excessive amount of stone dust and other particles being thrown into the air we breathe.

I live in Msida and recently the Water Services Corporation engaged a private contractor to dig up the road to lay new water pipes. Due to bad work practices, an excessive amount of dust was raised and residences were full of it. Three weeks later, the road has yet to be surfaced and we are still suffering from dust particles in the air.

Why, I ask, did the contractor not use a spray of water to keep the dust down, and why was the road not cleaned of excess dust by means of a mechanical sweeper afterwards? When the tarmac saw was being operated the dust raised was very dense and reached roof levels. The workers did not wear breathing protection either. I would have expected some authority or other to intervene.

The digging up and trenching of our roads is a very common sight so action should be taken, after proper planning, to control the air dust contaminant levels through the best possible techniques in order to reduce the health hazard and inconvenience.