The inconvenience emanating from the operations of the tuna recycling plant in Birżebbuġa have been going on for too long with residents’ complaints over sewage smells and effluent in the streets being repeatedly dismissed. Do authorities have what it takes to keep operators in line? asks ADPD – The Green Party Deputy Secretary General and candidate Dr Melissa Bagley.
ADPD has been following the assault that has been going on Birżebbġa over the years with projects that have impacted the quality of life of its residents, including the commercial activities of the Freeport, the airport, the Ħal Far industrial estate, the Ħal Far Racetrack, and the proposed Bengħajsa quarry (now withdrawn). The quality of life of Birżebbuġa residents is once again being compromised in the name of economic gain, negatively impacting the physical environment and the mental and physical wellbeing of people in the area.
The latest affront has been the operation of Aquaculture Resources Ltd commenced earlier this year, and more recently, by effluent ending up in residential areas in Birżebbuġa. The management of Aquaculture Resources Ltd has refused to take responsibility for the stench and sewage leaks that have affected the area, stating that company has taken measures to contain smells within the tuna recycling plant.
The current state of affairs is unacceptable. ADPD demands that the operations are brought in line with the required health and safety measures, and modern industry standards immediately. Once again economic gain seems to trump any other consideration. Or is it another case where the authorities do not have the necessary clout to take the necessary action to keep the operators in line? concluded Dr Bagley.
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L-awtoritajiet għandhom il-ħeġġa biex jikkontrollaw lill-operaturi?
L-inkonvenjent mill-operaturi tal-impjant ta’ riċiklaġġ tat-tuna f’Birżebbuġa ilhom għaddejjin żmien twil wisq bl-ilmenti tar-residenti mill-irwejjaħ tad-drenaġġ u effluwent fit-toroq injorati ripetutatment. L-awtoritajiet għadhom il-ħeġġa biex jikkontrollaw l-operaturi? tistaqsi id-Deputat Segretarju Ġenerali u kandidata ta’ ADPD – The Green Party Dr Melissa Bagley.
ADPD ilu isegwi l-assalt li ilu għaddej fuq Birżebbuġa tul is-snin bi proġetti li ħallew impatt negattiv fuq il-ħajja tar-residenti, fosthom l-attivitajiet kummerċjali tal-Freeport, l-ajruport, iż-żona industrijali ta’ Ħal Far, it-trakka fl-istess post kif ukoll il-proposta ta’ barriera f’Bengħajsa (li issa ġiet irtirata). Il-kwalità tal-ħajja tar-residenti ta’ Birżebbuġa qegħda għal darb’oħra tintlaqat ħażin minħabba il-gwadann ekonomiku, b’impatt negattiv fuq l-ambjent fiżiku kif ukoll fuq is-saħħa kemm dik mentali u fiżika tan-nies tal-lokal.
L-aħħar attakk huwa il-bidu tal-attività mill-Aquaculture Resources Ltd aktar kmieni din is-sena, u l-effluwent li qiegħed jispiċċa f’żoni residenzjali f’Birżebbuġa. It-tmexxija tal-kumpanija mhux jieħdu responsabbiltà għall-irwejjaħ u t-tixrid tad-drenaġġ li qiegħed ikun hemm f’dawk l-inħawi, u qed jibqgħu jinsistu li ħadu l-miżuri neċessarji biex iżommu l-irwejjaħ milli joħorġu mill-impjant.
Is-sitwazzjoni preżenti hija kompletament inaċċettabbli. ADPD tesiġi li l-operaturi għandhom jimxu mal-miżuri ta’ saħħa u sigurtà u jiżguraw li l-impjant isegwi l-għola standards industrijali minnufih. Għal darb’oħra il-gwadann ekonomiku jidher li rebaħ fuq kwalunkwe konsiderazzjoni oħra. Jew inkella huwa każ ieħor fejn l-awtoritajiet m’għadhomx il-ħeġġa neċessarja biex jikkontrollaw lill-operaturi, temmet Dr Bagley.
