Minister blasted for 'partisan' speech

Opposition spokesman on planning Roderick Galdes took Resources Minister George Pulliucino to task for having put more emphasis on partisan politics rather than the technicalities of the report. The Study of the Environment Report was a Labour government initiative with the first report being published in 1998.

The opposition was never against the Sant'Antin plant but against its location in Marsaskala. Today one could see the large number of trucks driving out of the plant towards the residential zone.

Mr Galdes said that the Environment Report should serve as a guide for politicians, policy makers and people involved in the environment sector and not to be lect to gather dust on a shelf in a few days' time.

The present and previous reports had shown the need of a national strategy to give a clear direction in addressing environmental problems. These included the environmental effect caused by the high density of vehicles in Malta. The shift of people using public rather than private transport never materialised. Air pollution reached excessive limits in urbanised areas. He suggested that an urban city report be annexed.

It was also clear that information gathered from certain sections was not enough to give a clear picture on land use and its impact on the environment. The exaggerated mass of certain built-up areas and of the PN government's relaxation on height limitations were "national wounds".

The report indicated that granting of building permits for dwellings had been considerably high since 2005. This led to increased negative impact on land use.

The rate of demolition of buildings in the village core and in urban conservation areas also increased considerably prior to the last two elections, which were eventually wone by the PN.

Mr Galdes also said that there was no clear picture on what the environment impact that development rationalisation in extending development zones would be in 10 years' time.

He was worried on the health hazards young people would be exposed to with the extension of the MCAST complex in Paola which registered a rate of air pollution being double the amount acceptable under EU standards.

If Mepa had a problem in identifying the origin of black dust in the south of Malta, independent experts had to be called in. Former Nationalist minister Michael Falzon had joined the opposition in criticising the government for accepting technology that would contribute to heavier pollution of the environment in the south through the building of the power station extension.

He called for the setting up of an agency that tackled serious environmental problems including the problems of enforcing regulations in the building and construction industry. Where building heights were increased, the much need public spaces were never realised.

Mr Galdes insisted on rigorous gathering of information related to such reports and called for more synergy from such government entities as the lands department, the public registry and paying agencies. He concluded that there was no clear policy and direction on addressing the issues of land use, transport, air pollution and construction. Awareness on environmental health was not enough.