The Environment and Resources Authority has confirmed that core testing “allegedly” carried out recently at Tal-Magħlaq quarry, in the limits of Siġġiewi, “required a valid quarry licence and needed to be covered by a development permit”.

However, in a statement as a reaction to pictures published recently by Times of Malta, in which heavy machinery and plant can be seen conducting core testing in the disused quarry, the ERA refrained from stating that what took place was illegal.

The Sunday Times of Malta is informed that core testing was indeed carried out for several days and was not covered by a permit. No action has been taken so far by the Planning Authority and ERA on these illegalities.

RERAD: PA finds no evidence of quarrying, despite pictures

At the same time, contrary to information given to Times of Malta that the quarry operators used heavy machinery to illegally cut fresh rock, the ERA insisted that according to its inspectors, no such excavation took place. “ERA has not found evidence of any ongoing excavation, as alleged by the article,” it stated. “Photos taken during these investigations show a comparison of the same site, six weeks apart,” it noted.

“The material  referred to as fresh excavation material is simply loose rubble that had been deposited on the upper edge of the quarry and which was pulled down by mechanical shovel for safety reasons. This action exposed underlying un-weathered material that looks like fresh excavation material,” the ERA insisted.

A source close to the activities carried on inside the quarry insisted with The Sunday Times of Malta that the ERA was just trying to divert Unesco’s investigation into what is going on.

“Excavation did take place with a mechanical shovel no matter what ERA officers are now stating,” the source confirmed. The Sunday Times of Malta reported that the UN agency has launched an investigation into the possible re-industrialisation of the disused quarry.

In 1994, the quarry was decommissioned after pressure from Unesco as it deemed that the industrial activity was threatening the foundations of the megalithic Mnajdra temples – just 400 metres away – and one of Malta’s most important World Heritage sites.

A few weeks ago, amidst a crisis on where to dump inert construction material created by a frenetic construction boom, the ERA issued a fast-track permit to Tum Invest, a company owned by Silvan Fenech, to start operating the decommissioned quarry as a dumping site while restoring the quarry. The permit was issued in just three days.

Following reports of illegal activities, including excavations and core testing, Unesco opened investigations to establish what was going on. The ERA is one of the government agencies that has been put under the spotlight by the Paris-based UN organisation.

ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com