Proposti għal proġetti ekoloġiċi

Xi ġimgħa ilu l-Kunsill Lokali ta’ Ħ’Attard irċieva talba biex jissottometti proposti għal proġetti ekoloġiċi. Il-proġetti se jintgħażlu mir-Reġjun Malta Ċentrali (il-lokalitajiet ta’ Malta maqsuma f’reġjuni u s-sindki jew delegati tagħhom jiffurmaw il-kumitat reġjonali). Is-somma vvotata għar-reġjun kollu mhix xi somma li tbellhek, pjuttost simbolika – €50,000 biss, li trid tinqasam bejn ir-reġjun kollu. Iżda xorta waħda ħassejt li għandi nagħmel il-proposti tiegħi – kif nagħmel kontinwament fuq diversi suġġetti. Jien kont l-uniku kunsillier li għamilt proposti, li tista’ tara hawn taħt. Biex inkun għidt kollox t-talbiet għal proposti li jiġu minn entitajiet governattivi, ħafna drabi jkollhom deadline qasir wisq ukoll. L-attiviżmu tiegħi f’Alternattiva Demokratika jixprunani biex nara kif nipproponi ideat u politika utili u fl-istess ħin indirizzata f’direzzjoni li ttejjeb l-kwalita tal-ħajja tan-nies.

Sadanittant, peress li għal ħabta ta’ Santa Marija ħafna jkunu bil-vaganzi, nawguralkom il-kumplament tal-vaganzi t-tajba.

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Proposti ghal progetti ambjentali Regjun Centrali – Ħ’Attard

 Proposta 1: Bdil tad-dwal tat-toroq f’dawl tat-tip LED

 Skop ambjentali: Progett bhal dan inaqqas l-uzu tal-elettriku u barra li jnaqqas l-ispiza rikorrenti tal-kontijiet tad-dawl inaqqas ukoll it-tniggis billi dawl tat-tip LED juza hafna anqas energija minn tipi ohra ta’ dawl li jintuza fit-toroq bhalissa.

 Progett: Ghandha tintghazel triq partikolari bhala ‘mudell’ ghal dan il-progett. L-ammont ta’ elettriku iffrankat ghandu jintwera permezz ta’ board fit-triq biex tizdied il-kuxjenza favur efficjenza fl-uzu tal-energija.

Informazzjoni addizzjonali: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100308132136.htm

 

Proposta 2: Mikro-turbini tar-rih biex jiggeneraw l-elettriku li jintuza mill-Kunsill fit-toroq, gonna etc.

Skop ambjentali: Sors ta’ energija nadifa, fl-istess hin vizibbli fil-komunita u b’hekk tizdied il-kunxjenza favur energija alternattiva. Parti mill-energija uzata mill-komunita (fl-ispazji pubblici) tkun iggenerata minn sors nadif.

Progett: Mikro-turbini jistghu jitwahhlu fuq arbli tad-dawl ezistenti u/jew f’gonna u zoni ohra addattati.

Aktar informazzjoni:  http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy/Wind-Turbines

 

Proposta 3: Tkabbir ta’ sigar u xtieli indigeni u rari

Skop ambjentali: Xtieli u sigar mkabbra lokalment jnaqqsu r-riskju ta’ mard importat permezz ta’ xtieli importati. Il-progett jipprovdi ukoll sors ta’ sigar ghal progetti pubblici u anke ghal tqassim lil residenti interessati. Il-vantaggi ambjentali ta’ aktar sigar huma indiskutibbli. Barra minn hekk sigar u xtieli imkabbra lokalment jnaqqsu l-bzonn ta’ tisqija estensiva.

Diga hawn min ghandu esperjenza twila fil-qasam, per ezempju l-Gaia Foundation ta’ Ghajn Tuffieha. Il-progett jista’ jsir bi shab. Importanti ukoll li jingiebu l-permessi mehtiega biex l-kunsill ikun jista’ jigbor zerriegha ta’ sigar u xtieli protetti bil-ligi. Vantagg iehor huwa l-propagazzjoni u z-zieda ta’ sigar, arbuxxelli u sigar rari fil-lokalita – xi haga li taghti aktar pregju u zzid l-gharfien tal-wirt naturali taghna.

Ezempji ta’ sigar u xtieli li jistghu jitkabbru: http://www.projectgaia.org/documents/List%20of%20species%20_Trilingual2006.pdf

Ralph Cassar

Kunsillier

Ħ’Attard 09/08/2011

Ħsibijiet minn Ħ’Attard

Artiklu ppubblikat fir-rivista tal-Kunsill Lokali (Lulju/Awwissu 2011)

RALPH CASSAR

Email: cassarralph@gmail.com, Mob: 99894962

Riciklagg
L-iskemi tar-riciklagg issa suppost li ndraw sew. Ghidt suppost. Ghax xorta ghadek tara skart imhallat jinhareg it-Tlieta (meta tingabar il-borza l-griza ghar-riciklagg biss) u l-Hamis (meta jingabru l-karti biss). Xorta ghadek tara min juza l-bring-in sites bhala xi mizbla fejn tehles miz-zibel. Fortunatament mhux il-maggoranza tan-nies, imma xorta numru imdaqqas. Nistghu mhux niftahru bl-edukazzjoni u l-avvanzi fil-pajjiz meta xi haga tant bazika ta’ mgieba li tixhed cittadinanza tajba u rispett lejn il-komunita xorta ghadha ma waslitx f’mohh kulhadd. Dis-sena fil-festa ta’ Santa Marija, ghandna nergghu ghat-tielet sena konsekuttiva nkunu qeghdin nippromwovu r-riciklagg permezz tal-progett ‘Ekofesta’.

Bini
Minkejja l-proposti li ressaqt jien u anke l-Kunsill, m’hawnx rieda politika mill-Gvern li jwaqqaf u jregga lura d-decizjoni dwar l-gholi tal-bini – li fost affarijiet ohra fissret li H’Attard – bhal zoni ohra f’Malta sar sit ta’ kostruzzjoni kontinwa. Dan f’pajjiz b’76,000 post battal. Haga li stunat dan l-ahhar fil-gurnali hija li l-Ministru li bl-approvazzjoni tal-kabinett mexxa din il-politika ta’ zieda fis-sulari hareg rapoprt dwar l-energija alternattiva li jghid li l-politika tal-bini qed ittellef il-politika dwar l-energija ghax jew min jinvesti f’apparat li jahdem bix-xemx isib il-bejt tieghu fid-dell jew inkella minhabba l-penthouses ma jkunx hemm spazju ghal dan l-apparat.

Traffiku
Mhux se ndur mal-lewza – l-problema kbira li ghandna hija t-traffiku u l-ammont kbir ta’ karozzi. Iva, ghandna ‘love affair’ mal-karozza. Transport Malta ghandha bzonn tqum qawma sew u tghinna nimplimentaw pjan ta’ immaniggjar tat-traffiku sura ta’ nies. Bil-pjan b’kollox izda hemm bzonn nippromwovu mobilita differenti li ma tiddependix dejjem u biss fuq il-karozza privata. Jekk hemm bzonn sistema ta’ toroq one-way biex it-traffiku jimxi ahjar naghmluha – mhux se toghgob lil kulhadd zgur. Imma hemm bzonn li Transport Malta tieqaf tfarfar id-decizjonijiet li mhux popolari fuq il-Kunsill Lokali. Huma suppost l-esperti – huma ghandhom jghinu fis-soluzzjonijiet. Hemm bzonn li aktar zoni ikunu zoni ta’ prijorita ghall-pedestrians’ u ghal min jiza r-rota. Nistghu niehdu l-opportunita bhala Kunsill u nipprovdu facilitajiet ghar-roti per ezempju hdejn l-‘interchange’ tat-trasport pubbliku f’Hal Warda. Il-‘love affair’ trid tispicca. Ghandek xi idea dwar das-suggett?

Sigar
Ma kull opportunita li jkolli u ma kull roqgha li nsib ninsisti li jithawwlu sigar godda. Ir-rihan, alaternu, gharghar huma l-ismijiet ta’ sigar indigeni li thawwlu dan l-ahhar. Il-vantagg huwa li minkejja l-bzonn ta’ tisqija fl-ewwel snin, sigar indigeni jifilhu hafna aktar ghall-klima taghna u meta jimmaturaw kapaci jkampaw. Hasra li meta jitwaqqghu xi djar biex jinbenew blokkijiet nispiccaw b’hafna sigar mqacctin.

Kuntatt
Jekk ghandek xi suggeriment jew idea li tixtieq taqsam mieghi nistiednek tikkuntattjani bl-email.

Wied Inċita quarries in Ħ’Attard – my campaign continues…

from: http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/government-perpetuating-regulatory-free-for-all-in-quarry-industry-says-ad

Government perpetuating regulatory free-for-all in quarry industry, says AD

By Nestor Laiviera

 The lack of a regulatory framework keeping the quarry industry in check is allowing operators to defend transgressions and illegalities, says Alternattiva Demokratika.

“Government and parliament have never felt the need to introduce laws which set clearly the limits and parameters within which quarries can operate,” AD chairperson Michael Briguglio said.

As a result, he added, “quarry owners are allowed to hide behind the lack of legislation which regulates their industrial activity to the detriment of residents.”

He was speaking a few meters away from a quarry in Attard which Briguglio said was an example of government’s lack of regulation and enforcement which was negatively affecting the 300-some households in the immediate vicinity.

AD Attard Councillor Ralph Cassar said that the local council has been trying to draw the government’s attention to the lack of regulation for years. “This quarry is just one example of how this industry was given a laissez-faire remit.”

Cassar presented documentation revealing that the Attard quarry has three enforcement cases open against it for development infringements for building a bridge, wall, and various rooms without permits.

The documentation also showed outstanding enforcement cases against similar quarries in Zebbug (Wied Incita) over illegal developments such as removal of topsoil and excavations, construction of warehouses and reservoirs, and a brick plant.

None of the enforcement cases were ever enforced, Cassar said.

He added that “one need only mention the fact that, according to the police operation licence, quarry owners are obliged to start rehabilitating the area upon completion of rock excavation work,” gesturing towards the quarry area, which also featured a large mound of construction waste.

“Apart from that,” he said, “the quarry has also been allowed to store construction waste without any controls or enforcement procedures as to how this should be kept or stored. Like other quarries, there are also illegal structures.”

He criticised government for lacking the “political will” to address the problems caused by quarries operating outside a regulatory framework, or to try hold the operators accountable.

“I will let everyone decide why this is happening,” he said, declining however to comment further in this regard.

Cassar pointed to how government and parliament have never passed specific laws which regulated the operation of quarries. “There are such things ‘best practices’ in every industry,” Cassar said, adding that however “in Malta we do not even dream of them.”

He also said that in 2010, MEPA announced a new system of permits for quarries which would impose new and modern conditions on the operations of quarries, calling for the authority to be clear on what stage this system is currently at.

He slammed the authorities for “abandoning for both the people and the efforts of the local council” which had been working towards protecting the rights and welfare of the residents directly affected by the quarry’s operation.

Cassar said, when questioned or pressed for a regulatory framework, authorities would resort to excuses regarding MEPA’s new permit system, or how discussions are ongoing. “The time for discussions is over,” he stressed.

He added that the Attard Local Council had also presented a judicial protest against the quarry’s operators in a bid to take them to court and hold them accountable (Rainbow Concrete Mix Ltd, and Sand & Gravel Ltd) but “it is unclear what this will lead to.”

AD spokesperson for sustainable development and local government Carmel Cacopardo maintained how MEPA is duty-bound to ensure that the residential area is not negatively affected by the quarry.

He said that once MEPA approved residential development applications and issued permits that turned the area a residential area, it is duty-bound to regulate the operation of the quarry.

“The existence of this quarry so close to an inhabited area is unacceptable,” he said. “MEPA and its predecessor, the PAPB, should have taken the decision to close this quarry a long time ago when it was decided that this zone would be a residential area.

He added that the first building permits were issued in the 70s, and the rest of the area was subsequently built up over the 80s and 90s.

Several residents attending the press conference also complained of the dust emanated by the quarry, and how the quarry’s trucks often dropped bricks or other waste in the road which had to be removed by the residents themselves.

One resident complained at the bully-ish attitude presented by the quarry owners when approached to determine a solution for the issues, and how residents were stonewalled at every turn.