The owners of a private quarry took the law into their own hands by re-opening an illegally-built lane that was closed by the police two days ago, Malta Industrial Parks said in a judicial protest.

The company filed a counter-protest yesterday against Ħal-Far Quarries over a lane leading to the quarry that was built on public land.

In a judicial protest on Tuesday, the quarry owners complained that a wall blocked access to a lane that had been used for the past 20 years by farmers and its employees. They immediately demolished the wall and held Malta Industrial Parks and the police responsible for damages.

However, the government entity pointed out Ħal-Far Quarries had built its own private road even though access could be gained through other roads.

The new road opened in the centre of an industrial estate in the area and the heavy trucks passing through were causing an inconvenience to factories, MIP said.

Also, it said the company did not take any precautions to control the dust brought about by the transported construction material. This was inconveniencing and damaging nearby factories many of which produced pharmaceuticals and medicines that had to be manufactured in a clean environment, the counter-protest said. “It is unacceptable that a person who flagrantly breaks the law tries to seek refuge in the courts, especially after they took the law into their own hands and, without any authority to do so, built an access road on public land even after enforcement action was taken,” it said.

The wall’s removal clearly proved the quarry operators were not ready to obey the law or accept they had no claim over public land, MIP said.

It called on the courts to stop Ħal-Far Quarries’ illegal and abusive actions and to hold it responsible for any damages.

Legal procurator Jean-Pierre Busuttil and lawyers John Bonello and Katrina Borg-Cardona signed the counter-protest.