Residents from Gharb have joined forces to show their anger and concerns towards the proposal for the construction of a mushroom factory on 12 thousand square meters of agricultural land situated outside the development zone and just a few metres away from the residential area.

The residents feel that during the past months various authorities have been consulted but not the local residents themselves, when it is they who will suffer directly the negative consequences of noise, traffic congestions, nasty odours, amongst others.

Mepa’s Natural Heritage Panel itself stated that the factory could produce offensive odours in the vicinity of Gozo’s crafts village and a 5 star Hotel, referring to the weekly usage of 22,000 kg of odoriferous chicken excrement amongst others.

Referring to a recent article published in the newspaper, MaltaToday entitled, "Gozo residents are used to rural odours," one of the spokespersons for the residents, Victor Galea said, "It is an insult to us, the residents of Gharb, for the developer to justify the constant nasty smells generated from raw chicken manure used in the mushroom factory, while comparing these oudours to the natural smells in the countryside. The occasional smells residents experience in the countryside due to animal manure that is used to fertilise the surrounding fields, are seasonal and are nothing compared to the permanent odours of chicken manure if MEPA gives the green light for this development."

Referring to the studies commissioned by the developers, the Gharb Residents Association spokesperson, which is being set-up to protect the interests of the village residents, said, "We are also concerned that The Malta Authority for the Planning and the Environment is accepting a study which was supposed to give an assessment of the impact of this proposed development on the ground water.

It seems that MEPA finds that a study which should be done by an expert hydrologist, with competence and experience on the hydrology of the Maltese Islands, is being sufficed by an exercise done by a geologist. We find no comment or assessment or quantification on the potential contamination of the proposed project on the underlying aquifer, which should be the most important part of the study. We now seem to have a repeat of the great damage that has happened to the natural spring waters at the new Nadur Cemetary and the pain which the farmers feel at Ghajn Qasam, simply because MEPA is satisfied with the studies of a geologist and not of an expert hydrologist."

With regards to the emissions generated by this proposed development, Mr Galea stated that, "In the CO2 emissions section of the Environment Impact Assessment, there is no attempt to quantify the amount of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions that will be emitted by the process of mushroom cultivation. The aerobic/anaerobic decomposition of the manure to be used in the mushroom cultivation process is a big generator of GHG emissions (CO2, methane, ammonia) but there is absolutely no reference to this fact." For this reason, the Gharb Residents Association is going to inform the MEPA Auditor to investigate this case so that all the negative impacts of this proposed development will be made in the most fair and transparent manner.

The Gharb Residents Association ended their protest by encouraging the Gharb Local Council to remain consistent in its stand against this development, while appealing to all environmental NGOs and people who care about the Gozitan quality of life to give their support to the residents of this village, which is well known for its beautiful natural surroundings, a village which attracts a very good number of Maltese and tourists alike.

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