Over the past few weeks the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) managed to close 9 out of 13 enforcement notices which were recently issued on a number of illegalities along the remote protected cliffs of the pristine rural area known as Ta’ Maxwell in the limits of Gharb. These illegalities, which included 14 illegal rooms and roofed structures, used mainly for trapping activities, and large quantities of illegally dumped construction waste , had been served with enforcement notices at the end of May, and were removed within weeks by landowners themselves who wisely sought the cheaper option than having to forfeit a bill, running in the thousands of euros to cover expenses incurred by the Authority to carry out a direct action operation.

Following a report the Authority received on a particular site, in early May, where illegal dumping was being carried out along these cliffs in Ta’ Maxwell, Mepa enforcement officers started a holistic investigation on illegalities across the entire area. From a number of inspections carried out, the Authority issued 13 enforcement notices in the area for illegalities pertaining to rooms built without a permit mainly for bird trapping activities and the illegal dumping of construction waste on agricultural land. Another 4 enforcement notices already existed in the area, going as far back as 2005.

Mr Alexander Borg, Enforcement Manager within MEPA said, “The Authority’s enforcement staff made sure to convey the message that a comprehensive direct action operation would soon be forthcoming right across this rural area.” He added that “this has had the desired results since it got land owners and offenders concerned that they would then be presented with a hefty bill for expenses the Authority would have incurred in carrying out the direct action operation, together with legal fees.”

Over the past days, the Authority with the assistance of the Gozo Police, directly intervened to remove the recent illegalities on three sites which were served with enforcement notices but which the site owners chose to ignore. The Enforcement team removed an illegal room and large quantities of illegal dumped material from picturesque surroundings. Action will continue over the next few days to remove illegal structures and dumping that were covered by older enforcement notices.

The Authority last month assisted the Gozo Police who arraigned a number of persons in connection with the dumping of illegal waste in the area.

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