The residents of San Ġwann, L-Iklin, Ħal Għargħur and Ħal Lija, who live in the vicinity of the Bitmac plant, have been filing repeated complaints regarding the inconveniences and pollution they have been suffering, which include unbearable smells and dust pollution.

It remains unacceptable that the operators of the asphalt plant have no consideration of the residents, whose lives and health are being negatively affected. Equally unacceptable is the fact that the authorities close a blind eye to this situation. This was the main argument made by ADPD-The Green Party’s spokespersons during a Press Conference about the pollution being caused by the Bitmac plant.

Mark Zerafa, the party’s International Secretary and ADPD’s Birkirkara Local Council Candidate stated that the residents of San Ġwann, l-Iklin and the neighbouring towns of Birkirkara and Lija have been suffering the effects including smells of volatile substances coming from the Bitmac factory for years, negatively impacting their quality of life. The pungent smells are experienced even when residents’ windows are kept closed! The dispersion of various types of industrially produced dust due to the open storage of construction aggregate material is having negative impacts on air quality and of the quality of life. 

It is therefore of little wonder that residents have been filing complaints with local authorities. The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) has consistently dodged responsibility, claiming that it has no regulatory remit in regulating such industrial plants. The recommendation provided by ERA to residents was to file complaints with the Environmental Health Directorate (EHD), which in turn advised that it has no remit to take the necessary remedial action! Such response shows the complete indifference to the residents’ plights. According to the Environmental Health Directorate (EHD), action can only be taken if residents provide evidence that their health has been negatively affected!

The health of our citizens cannot be treated as a trivial matter. Our regularatory bodies have a preventative role –  to act to prevent damage to people’s health, Zerafa said. 

Samuel Vella, co-Chairperson of Kollettiv Żgħażagħ Ekoxellugin – ADPD’s youth wing, and resident in the vicinity of this industrial plant lamented that the very fact that “this plant is being allowed to operate is testament to the despite the rhetoric government does not care about the health of people, including that of young persons. Government is sending a clear signal that it has no regard for people’s health. It has failed its obligation to protect its citizens through the state’s own institutions. The Parliamentary opposition party is a direct accomplice by being completely mum.”

Vella asked, “Where is the government which takes false pride in claiming that it works for our youth?” Scientific and medical research shows that this pollution damages the respiratory system and is carcinogenic. This affects us all. The contamination of our air, does not discriminate. 

ADPD-The Green Party Chairperson, Sandra Gauci, said that it is unacceptable that the authorities keep renouncing their obligations and reneging on their responsibilities. Priority needs to be given to people’s health above any commercial interest, without any further delay. Our institutions have to be proactive. Passing the buck and providing silly excuses is not acceptable. 

The polluter has the duty to take every necessary precaution to mitigate plant emissions and pollution. The commercial entity has the responsibility to minimise inconveniences to citizens who have the right to enjoy a decent quality of life. The owners of Bitmac are obliged to provide proof that their industrial activity is not endangering residents’ health, and to take all necessary precautions in this respect.

Gauci asked, “Why the dragging of feet? What is the purpose of our institutions if they are not living up to their respective remits, by protecting the environment and people’s health? It is a cause for great concern that one of Bitmac’s owners was a canvasser of an ex-Minister from the eighth district.”

Whilst we express our solidarity with the residents of the affected areas, ADPD affirms that Bitmac’s operations are to be halted forthwith, to be re-evaluated once all necessary studies are undertaken to identify the measures required to prevent damage to residents’ health, Gauci concluded.

***

Awtoritajiet bla snien: iridu jimirdu n-nies qabel tittieħed azzjoni

Ir-residenti fl-inħawi madwar l-impjant tal-Bitmac, f’San Ġwann, l-Iklin, Ħal Għargħur, u Ħal Lija, ilhom jikkomunikaw mal-awtoritajiet rigward l-iskumdità u t-tniġġis li qiegħed joħloq dan l-impjant. Dan jinkludi waqtiet ta’ irwejjaħ insopportabbli, kif ukoll tniġġis f’forma ta’ trab, kemm trab iswed kif ukoll abjad, meta r-riħ ikun jaqbel.

Kien, għadu u jibqa’ inaċċettabbli li operaturi kummerċjali jiġu jaqgħu u jqumu mir-residenti u jibqgħu jagħmlu l-ħajja ta’ dawn ir-residenti infern lejl u nhar, bl-awtoritajiet jagħlqu għajnejhom. Dan kien il-messaġġ ewlieni meta kelliema ta’ ADPD-The Green Party indirizzaw konferenza stampa dwar it-tniġġis ikkawżat mill-impjant tat-tarmac għad-detriment tas-saħħa tan-nies.

Mark Zerafa, Segretarju Internazzjonali tal-partit u kandidat għall-Kunsill lokali ta’ Birkirkara f’isem ADPD-The Green Party qal li r-residenti ta’ San Ġwann, l-Iklin u lokalitajiet tal-inħawi bħal Birkirkara u Ħal Lija  ilhom is-snin isofru inkonvenjent ta’ rwejjaħ mill-impjant tal-Bitmac. Dan qiegħed iħalli impatt ħażin fuq il-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħhom. L-irwejjah insapportabbli saħansitra jinxtammu mir-residenzi anke bit-twieqi magħluqin. Barra minn hekk it-trabijiet iġġenerati mill-ħażna taż-żrar fl-apert għandu impatt kemm fuq il-kwalità tal-arja kif ukoll fuq il-kwalità tal-ħajja b’mod ġenerali.

Bir-raġun kollu, ir-residenti ressqu l-ilment tagħhom għand l-awtoritajiet. L-Awtorità dwar l-Ambjent u r-Riżorsi (ERA) bħal Pilatu kontinwament ħaslet idejha mir-responabbilità u saħqet li m’għandha ebda rwol regolatorju fuq dawn l-impjanti. Lir-residenti tathom parir biex jirrikorru għand id-Direttorat tas-Saħħa Ambjentali (EHD) li ukoll insista li m’għandu ebda awtorità li jieħu l-passi meħtiega! It-tweġiba li ngħataw turi indifferenza assoluta għas-sofferenzi tar-residenti. Skont id-Direttorat tas-Saħħa Ambjentali  (EHD), jistgħu biss jittieħdu passi ladarba ir-residenti jagħtu evidenza li sofrew ħsara f’saħħithom! 

Ma nistgħux nibqgħu nilagħbu bis-saħħa taċ-ċittadini. L-awtoritajiet regolatorji għandhom funzjoni preventiva, jiġifieri li jieħdu passi biex jevitaw il-ħsara fuq is-saħħa tan-nies temm jgħid Zerafa.

Samuel Vella, il-ko-Chairperson tal-Kollettiv Żgħażagħ Ekoxellugin – il-fergħa taż-żgħażagħ tal-ADPD u residenti ukoll fl-inħawi qal li l-fatt li “dan l-impjant qiegħed jitħalla jopera huwa evidenza ċara ta’ kif il-gvern iħares lejn żgħażagħ bħalna, il-preżent u l-futur ta’ dan il-pajjiż. Il-Gvern qed jgħidilna li jiġi jaqa’ u jqum minn saħħitna. Falla fid-dmir tiegħu li permezz tal-awtoritajiet regolatorji  jipproteġi liċ-ċittadin. L-oppożizzjoni kompliċi miegħu għax baqgħet siekta”.

Vella staqsa “Fejn hu l-gvern li jiftaħar kemm jaħdem għalina ż-żgħażagħ?”  Minn riċerka li saret nafu li dawn l-emissjonijiet jagħmlu ħsara lis-sistema respiratorja tagħna lkoll u jistgħu  jikkawżaw il-kanċer. Din hija s-sitwazzjoni li taffetwana lkoll. L-emissjonijiet ma jiddiskriminawx  iżda jattakaw is-saħħa ta’ kulħadd.

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party Sandra Gauci qalet li ma jistax ikun li l-awtoritajiet jibqgħu jaħslu idejhom u jevitaw ir-responsabbiltajiet tagħhom. Hemm bżonn li bla dewmien, jagħtu prijorità lis-saħħa fuq kull interess kummerċjali. Hemm bżonn li jkunu proattivi. Ma jistax ikun li jibqgħu jinħbew wara subgħajhom u wara skużi banali, jistennew li ssir il-ħsara qabel ma jieħdu l-passi meħtieġa.

Huwa d-dmir ta’ min qed iniġġes li jieħu kull prekawzjoni sabiex jimmitiga l-emissjonijiet mill-impjant. Huwa d-dmir tal-imprenditur li jnaqqas l-inkonvenjent għaċ-ċittadini li jistħoqqilhom kwalità ta’ ħajja diċenti fi djarhom stess. Hu d-dmir tas-sidien tal-Bitmac li jipprovdu evidenza li l-operat tagħhom mhux qiegħed ipoġġi s-saħħa tar-residenti f’periklu u dan wara li jieħu l-prewkazzjonijiet meħtieġa.

Gauci staqsiet: “Għala dan it-tkaxkir tas-saqajn? X’użu għandhom awtoritajiet bla sinsla li m’humiex qegħdin jaqdu l-funzjoni tagħhom u jipproteġu l-ambjent u s-saħħa taċ-ċittadin? Kif tista’ ma titħassibx, meta wieħed mis-sidien tal-Bitmac kien canvasser ta’ ex-Ministru Laburista fit-Tmien Distrett?”

Filwaqt li nesprimu solidarjetà mar-residenti tal-inħawi milquta, ADPD jisħaq li l-operat tal-impjant tal-Bitmac għandu jieqaf minnufiħ, u ma jiftaħx qabel ma jkunu saru l-istudji kollha biex ikunu identifikati l-miżuri meħtieġa ħalli ma jibqax ikun ta’ ħsara għas-saħħa tar-residenti fl-inħawi,  temmet tgħid Gauci.