Truckloads of scrap material removed during MEPA enforcement action

MEPA's enforcement officers have removed more than 23 large truckloads of illegally material and scrap over an area covering 30,000 square metres in Delimara, the Environmental and Planning Authority said.

The direct enforcement action was carried out at a site in an area known as Il-Ponta ta' Delimara, where over the years multiple dumping illegalities were compromising the sensitivity of the site.

In May 2002, at this same site, enforcement action had already been taken whereby scrap material and a number of cars were illegally dumped. Despite the enforcement action, the occupant persisted in his illegal dumping and even constructed a residential unit on the site.

Consequently, enforcement officers carried out a new enforcement action and removed the material from two different areas of this site, one of which was close to the historic Delimara Lighthouse. The other area accommodated a series of very large trapping facilities that had been illegally formed by dumping over the natural terrain.

Three bird-trapping and hunting rooms, which were also part of the site, were also demolished.

The occupant of the site will be ordered to foot the bill for the enforcement action.

In early evening after direct actions for the day had terminated, the Authority was notified that a prohibitory injunction that was presented to the Courts by the owner's lawyer to stop any further direct action on site.

The site lies within an area scheduled as an Area of High Landscape Value and Area of Ecological Importance (AEI) for Coastal and Cliff communities.

More actions are being planned for the coming days.