Today, activists involved in Kamp Emergenza Ambjent are holding an action to denounce the Environment and Resources Authority's (ERA) role in the Planning Authority's approval of the Mriehel Towers and the Townsquare developments.

The activists are holding a protest outside the ERA building – Hexagon House. It said that others participating in the action are concerned citizens, alongside Moviment Graffitti, Friends of the Earth and Flimkien ghall-Ambjent Ahjar.

KEA said that "we believe that the massive high-rises which have just been approved will only benefit a few wealthy individuals at the expense of the environment and our quality of life. These enormous towers, which were approved in the absence of serious studies and holistic plans, will exacerbate an already dire situation in relation to congestion, sewage and pollution."

"Kamp Emergenza Ambjent activists are disappointed that in these cases, ERA has absconded from its duty to safeguard the environment," KEA added.

KEA noted that "the responsibility for ERA's toothlessness lies primarily in the MEPA demerger. This demerger is being touted by the Government as an achievement in the environmental sphere, when in fact it simply relegated the environmental dimension to a body with very little powers and resources, further diminishing the already limited weight the environment carried under the MEPA regime."

KEA went on to aid that "it is of concern that ERA even failed to use what little weight it has. Whilst it is believed that ERA considered the EIA for Townsquare a sham and the photomontages for Mriehel Towers as deceptive, its lack of initiative and enthusiasm in bringing such environmental concerns to the fore was shockingly conspicuous?"

"Knowing that its Chairperson was unable to attend the meeting due to illness, it did not request an adjournment? ERA should also be allowed to send its representative to the PA board meetings when its Chairperson is unable to attend," the activists said.

An email with ERA's considerations about the projects was inexplicably sent to a board member instead of the Chairperson, and the email on Townsquare was not read during the meeting? No ERA representative put forward ERA's views on these projects?"

"ERA has concealed its final position on these two high-rise developments, when its role should be that of having clear positions in favour of the environment," said KEA.

Although initially ERA said that it was not going to appeal the PA decision, it will now take a decision regarding this appeal in the coming days.

Kamp Emergenza Ambjent activists said that they hope that ERA appeals the PA decision "and does so in a determined manner, where it effectively outlines those points which illustrate why the PA's decision was so misguided on so many levels."

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