Mepa restores emergency service

Mepa said today it had restored its emergency service for people to report illegalities regarding the environment. Reports can now be made on a single telephone number - 2069 9595.

"The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) has introduced this new single emergency number to make it easier and effective for the public to assist the Authority in its efforts to curtail development and environment abuses around the Maltese Islands. Prior to this new service number the public was constrained to make use of four separate emergency numbers for different reports," the Authority said.

It explained that it had reviewed and evaluated the utility and effectiveness of its emergency services when they were provided under various call numbers and had opted to introduce the new, single number.

This new single 24 hour emergency number will cover pollution control, littering, nature protection, construction site management and illegal development.

The Authority had started providing a dial-in emergency service in December 2001 that covered weekends only but upgraded its emergency service to a daily basis in July 2004.

It was however criticised after The Sunday Times last Sunday reported that the service was suspended without the public being informed.

The Authority regretted any inconvenience which the temporary suspension of the service might have caused.