A Gozitan NGO is putting increasing pressure on the authorities in a bid to save the only surviving Roman catacombs in Gozo, which are being threatened by a new development.

Wirt Għawdex has been sounding its concern “behind the scenes” for two years and raised the alarm publicly last week because it fears the days of Gozo’s only surviving early Christian Catacombs are numbered.

This was triggered by excavation work that started midweek on foundation trenches for a building to be constructed in front of these paleochristian hypogea, known as Għar Għerduf, in Kerċem.

The NGO believes the proposed building will forever hide from public view this Grade A scheduled site of archaeological and historic importance.

The remains of the only Roman Catacombs in Gozo, found at the Għar Għerduf area in Kerċem, are under threat from new development in the area. Photo: Daniel Cilia

History seems to be repeating itself, because in 1882 A.A. Caruana, who had described the site as a “large cluster of Għar Għerduf”, noted that “the greatest part... has been lately destroyed.”

When contacted yesterday, Wirt Għawdex executive secretary Giovanni Zammit said that they have not received any feedback from the authorities since going public on Friday.

However, the public has ex-pressed its solidarity, as well as its  disappointment.

Wirt Għawdex is urging the Planning Authority and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage to stop with immediate effect this development and preserve the site.

The NGO is a registered objector to the new development, which will entail the construction of a two-storey house on Triq Ta’ Xuxa, Kerċem.

Wirt Għawdex also objected to a separate application, which was submitted in 2006, to build a house in the vicinity.

Mr Zammit referred to a proposal from the Superintendence, made in reference to this earlier application, to expropriate the entire area.

In its consultation reply for the 2006 application, the Superintendence, among others, said it had requested that the Gozo Ministry expropriate the site of Għar Għerduf in order to carry out urgent conservation work and ensure public access to it.

Wirt Għawdex agreed with this proposal, Mr Zammit told this newspaper. He explained that over the past two years, the NGO has expressed its concern to the Gozo Minister, the Prime Minister, the Superintendence and the Planning Authority.

The organisation will now keep the pressure on with the new Gozo administration.

In a statement, the Planning Authority yesterday denied having “turned a blind eye”, adding that neither the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage nor the former Environment Protection Directorate had objected to this development.

Meanwhile, the PA confirmed that the excavation works were being “closely monitored” by the Superintendence.