(Adds ministry's statement)

The height of the Delimara power extension chimneys could not be regulated following the IPPC permit if these were already built, the opposition's spokesman for sustainable development Leo Brincat said this morning.

He referred to a statement issued by the planning authority yesterday in reply to another by the Marsaxlokk deputy mayor, who claimed that the extension's chimneys have been erected without the necessary MEPA permit.

Mepa replied that when it approved the full development application for the development of the extension in May 2009, it had established that the final height of the chimneys remained a reserved matter. It said that the height would be decided after the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control permit is issued. This is to be issued for consultation shortly.

Mr Brincat said in a statement that Mepa's statement was, in itself, an admission of guilt.

The government, he said, wanted to continue playing a game that was dangerous to the people's health and Mepa opted to be an accomplice.

PL SPOKESMAN TRYING TO DISCREDIT PROCESS - MINISTRY

The Environment Ministry said the consultation process was in the public interest and should not be hindered by partisan games.

It was a shame that Mr Brincat continued to create doubts based on the wrong premises and tried to discredit such a process.

Although Mepa had, in May 2009, approved the extension, it left the height of the chimneys as a reserved matter to be part of the IPPC process.

The criteria for the issuing of such a permit were determined by the EU.

This permit, the consultation on which was to be launched in the coming days, would ensure that the extension operated according to EU directives and in line with environmental management practices.