MEPA said in a statement today that it has continued to carry out a number of direct actions during the summer on sites where the owner contravened the law and carried out illegal development, “focusing its effort around seven particular cases in Hal Safi, Siggiewi, Zebbug, Rabat and Ghajnsielem.”

In the first case, MEPA said that an “inspection was carried out on a site in the area known as Tal-Karwija, limits of Hal Safi. It resulted that two large stores and a number of smaller rooms had been constructed without a permit, while scrap and other material had also been dumped on site.”

MEPA went on that “Two of the stores were being used for disused vehicles and to accommodate a substantial amount of other material.” The Authority, prior to demolishing the illegal structures, started its operation by removing all the material from on the site. Following co-operation by the contravenor, the Authority gave the site owner a few days chance to remove the remaining illegalities himself. The Authority is monitoring the site to ensure that all the illegalities will be removed.

Along the remote cliff-edge overlooking Wied il-Kbir, in Triq Ghar Hanzir, limits of Siggiewi, Mepa aid that its officers also removed an illegally built room and boundary wall together with a number of precast concrete slabs.

In another ODZ site, adjacent to Fort Bingemma, limits of Rabat, the Authority said it demolished an illegally constructed room which had been roofed with metal sheets and was being used as a store for scrap, tyres and other material.

In another operation, MEPA officers also reduced the height of a number of rural boundary walls which had been constructed beyond the permitted level, while also demolished an illegally built brick wall along a large rural site in Zebbug. The remaining illegal structures and a room were removed by the contravenors.

A number of enforcement actions were taken in the area known as Ta’ Lambert, close to the Heliport, in Ghajnsielem. Assisted by the Gozo Police, MEPA said the first enforcement action was taken in Triq Ta’ Bwier were its officers removed inert material, large concrete slabs and stones that had been dumped in a field. Later in the week, the enforcement team had to return back to this site since more material and stone blocks were once again illegal dumped in the site. Adjacent to this site, officer also demolished an illegal room along the roadside.

Meanwhile in the Tal-Brieghen area, the Authority said that itstarted demolishing another two illegal rooms. The operation had to be stopped due to the presentation of prohibitory injunction by the land owner to the courts to impede the Authority from carrying its duties. By the time the injunction was served, most of the rooms had already been demolished, MEPA said.

MEPA concluded the statement by saying that further actions are envisaged in the area of Ghajnsielem, “renowned for its lawless development and dumping.”

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