MEPA said in a statement this afternoon that, “the claim being made by various eNGOs that a report sent on the 18th of June 2014 to MEPA about illegal works at San Blas was not investigated is incorrect.”

The Authority can confirm that “the complaint it had received on the 18th June 2014 by a member of the public was not related to the placing of a metal gate or canopy structure but to a kiosk and the placing of chairs and tables at another site within the San Blas area.”

In fact the Authority said, “on the 25th June 2014 it had informed the complainant that the illegal kiosk was already covered by an enforcement notice (ECF 867/09).”

Following illegal works carried out at another site within the San Blas area at the end of last week and reported in a local newspaper, the Authority on Monday immediately investigated the case and issued an enforcement notice (ECF139/14) whereby the contravener was requested to reinstate the site.

MEPA said that “following the publication of the National Audit Report and an internal investigation, the MEPA CEO, last March, re-organised the Enforcement Directorate and increased the ODZ inspectorate division by trebling the amount of officers from 4 to 13.”

The Directorate said that it ensures that any complaints it receives related to ODZ areas get investigated within a 5 day period, while for cases where the site is within a protected area these get investigated within 48 hours.

Any complaints which are considered to be an imminent danger to the environment and are reported on the emergency number 9926 9926 are immediately investigated.

The Authority has attached a photo of the San Blas area which “clearly shows the areas for which a complaint was received on the 18th June and the area where works were illegally carried out at the end of last week.”

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