Fgura wants Enemalta to atone for black dust

The Fgura local council is asking for compensation from Enemalta in the form of environmental projects to make good for the damages its community has suffered due to the black dust from its Marsa power station.

In a letter to the corporation’s chairman, sent on Monday, it called for “negotiations” with Enemalta on its investment in environment projects in Fgura as was required by a “wise sense of corporate social responsibility”.

The request was made in the light of the findings of a report by the Chemistry Department of the University of Malta, which analyses the amount of black dust found in various localities around the Marsa power station, flagging it as the only “likely” source.

The report on The Nature, Distribution and Likely Source of Black Particles in Dust Fall in Malta dates back to March and was published by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority some weeks ago.

In the letter, Fgura mayor Byron Camilleri demanded that Enemalta show a “sense of social responsibility” towards the community’s health and environment, which were being affected by the corporation. He said Fgura has also suffered from the loss in value of its property.

The mayor expected that, in the future, Enemalta would weigh the consequences of each of its projects and the energy it is consuming so that it would no longer damage the community and the environment.

Questions sent to Enemalta by The Times have not been answered.