NGOs to organise protest rally

di-ve.com
EDITORIAL

Current Affairs -- 04 March 2010 -- 09:45CEST

8 environment groups are calling on the public to join a national rally in Valletta on Saturday March 13 at 1000h at City Gate, Valletta, to raise the issue of ongoing environmental abuse and lack of law enforcement.

The groups are BirdLife Malta, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Greenhouse, Graffitti, MOAM, Nature Trust Malta and Ramblers Association of Malta.

The rally in Valletta will call on the government to effectively enforce existing laws and put an end to ongoing environmental abuse.

“Construction encroachment Outside Development Zone, violation of Malta’s Structure Plan and of the EU air pollution Directive, illegal hunting and trapping, destruction of heritage and Natura 2000 sites, and unauthorised groundwater extraction have become acutely unsustainable,” the Ramblers’ Association said.

The NGOs drew attention to the fact that the MEPA Enforcement Unit which dealt with environmental crimes was drastically downsized while illegal extraction of groundwater, widespread killing of protected birds and illegal occupation of the countryside went unchecked. The NGOs also condemn the fact that a number of permits were recently granted for major projects, which they said in many cases violate the Structure Plan and MEPA regulations as well as the EU Directive on public consultation.

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