Clean-up of illegal structures, eyesores in Selmun

Selmun's countryside was bustling with workers yesterday as illegal rooms were demolished, walls knocked down and an illegal reservoir filled in as part of a clean-up enforcement action.

In an operation launched by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and the Government Property Division, the area between Selmun Palace and Fort Campbell was cleared of illegal structures and illegally dumped material.

A Mepa spokesman said the operation included the demolition of some eight rooms and the filling in of an illegally excavated reservoir. Workers also removed illegal gates, walls and heavy material dumped in the area, including scrap metal and old cars.

The clean-up focused on what was mostly government-owned property, which had been leased to third parties by the Commissioner of Land.

The owners of the illegally-built structures turned up on site but in no way disturbed the enforcement action taking place.

Faced with the impending destruction, some owners quickly started dismantling their own illegal structures. Inside the rooms were television sets, mattresses, kitchen utensils, tools, pipes and the like, the spokesman said.

The demolitions were preceded by enforcement notices which had been served by Mepa to owners who had failed to remove them, Mepa said.

Mepa also said that some of the owners had attempted to sanction their illegal developments following the enforcement notices, adding that their planning applications had been refused by the Development Control Commission.

The spokesman said the work is expected to carry on until the end of week.

Today, workers are planning to start clearing a large site in another area of Selmun from illegally-deposited material that had been previously used to reclaim land.

Some of the spots fall within the Natura 2000 site known as the L-Imġiebaħ/Tal-Miġnuna area, Mepa said, adding that this was designated as a special area of conservation and an area of ecological and scientific importance.

The clean-up was carried out by workers employed by a private contractor, assisted by members of the police administrative law enforcement unit.

The property division has embarked on a drive against the abuse and illegal encroachment of public land while Mepa, assisted by local councils and the police, is trying to clean up the streets and countryside from bulky metal objects such as abandoned cars, containers or illegal scrap heaps.