16 organisations representing of wide spectrum of interests – from environmental organisations to girl guides, from fishermen to social and cultural groups – have written a letter to Prime Minister Robert Abela calling on him to withdraw plans for a mini-airstrip in the Wied Żnuber area of Birżebbuġa. Read the letter here.
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The plan for an airstrip by the valley and the cliffs of the area was announced last month at the signing of an agreement between the government agency INDIS and an airplane model association. In their letter, the organisations lamented that residents, the Birżebbuġa Local Council and other stakeholders were not consulted about these plans, and that the exact plans of the airstrip are being kept under wraps till this very day.
Plans seen by farmers of the area indicate that the project would be massive, taking up around 44 acres of garigue and agricultural land – the equivalent of seven football pitches.
The organisations highlighted the important ecological and social value of the site, which currently severs as a buffer zone between the industrial area and the valley and cliffs. It is also home to rich biodiversity including protected species of flora and fauna, as well as important historical remains such as a dolmen, ancient water canals and a military shelter. Moreover, the loud and incessant noise of model remote control airplanes would drastically increase light and noise pollution in the area and destroy the serenity of the valley and surrounding cliffs, to the detriment of biodiversity, residents and visitors.
The letter pointed out the irony of Government pledging to invest in the creation of green spaces whilst using public resources to destroy the natural green spaces which we have left. In view of all this the organisations demanded that:
The plan for an airstrip in the area of Wied Żnuber be immediately withdrawn.
The site, which has been included as part of the industrial zone, be designated as ODZ so that it can be enjoyed by the public, used by the farmers and serve as a buffer zone to the Natura 2000 site.
The organisations declared that their fight to protect this site and its surroundings will continue. A walk in appreciation of the environment and history of Wied Żnuber’s surroundings, and in show of opposition to the plans threatening it, is planned for Saturday 19th March at 10:30am, starting from the Bengħajsa church in Birżebbuġa, to the site of the planned airstrip.
Letter signatories
1. Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuġa
2. 12th Birżebbuġa Girl Guides
3. Blanzuni Birżebbuġa
4. ŻAK Birżebbuġa
5. L-Uffiċjali Għaqda Sajjieda Dilettanti Birżebbuġa
6. Malta Climbing Club (MCC)
7. Malta Rock Climbing Club (MRCC)
8. Moviment Graffitti
9. BirdLife Malta
10. Din l-Art Ħelwa
11. Ramblers’ Association Malta
12. Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
13. Friends of the Earth Malta
14. Rota
15. The Archaeological Society Malta
16. Extinction Rebellion Malta
16-il organizzazzjoni jingħaqdu sabiex isalvaw Wied Żnuber
16-il għaqda li jirrappreżentaw firxa wiesa’ ta’ interessi – minn għaqdiet ambjentali sal-girl guides, sajjieda u l-gruppi kulturali u soċjali ta’ Birżebbuġa – kitbu ittra lill-Prim Ministru Robert Abela fejn sejħu sabiex jiġu rtirati l-pjanijiet għal mitjar fiż-żona ta’ Wied Żnuber. Aqra l-ittra hawnhekk.
Il-pjan għal dan il-mitjar maġenb il-wied u l-irdum tħabbar ix-xahar li għadda waqt l-iffirmar ta’ ftehim bejn l-aġenzija tal-Gvern INDIS u assoċjazzjoni tal-mudelli tal-ajruplani. Fl-ittra tagħhom, l-għaqdiet qalu li r-residenti, il-Kunsill Lokali u gruppi interessati oħra ma ġewx ikkonsultati dwar dawn il-pjanijiet li d-dettalji tagħhom għadhom qegħdin jinżammu moħbija sal-lum il-ġurnata.
Il-pjanti li raw il-bdiewa tal-post jindikaw li l-proġett ser ikun enormi u ser jieħu madwar 44 tomna ta’ xagħri u għelieqi, l-ekwivalenti ta’ seba’ grounds tal-football.
L-għaqdiet enfasizzaw l-importanza ekoloġika u soċjali kbira tas-sit li preżentament iservi ta’ buffer zone bejn iż-żona industrijali u l-wied u l-irdum. Fih hemm ukoll bijodiversità rikka, inkluż flora u fawna protetti, kif ukoll fdalijiet storiċi importanti bħal dolmen, kanali tal-ilma antiki u xelter militari. Barra minn dan, l-attività tat-titjir tal-mudelli tal-ajruplani ser iżżid drastikament it-tniġġis tad-dawl u tal-istorbju minn ħsejjes qawwija u kontinwi ta’ mudelli ta’ ajruplani mdaqqsa u teqred is-serenità tal-wied u tal-irdum, għad-detriment tal-bijodiversità, tar-residenti u tal-viżitaturi.
L-ittra semmiet l-ironija tal-wegħdiet governattivi dwar investiment fil-ħolqien ta’ spazji ħodor filwaqt li jintużaw riżorsi pubbliċi sabiex jinqerdu l-ispazji naturali u ħodor li għad fadal. Fid-dawl ta’ dan kollu, l-għaqdiet talbu li:
Il-pjanijiet għall-mitjar fiż-żona ta’ Wied Żnuber jiġu rtirati minnufih.
Is-sit inkwistjoni, li kien ġie inkluż bħala parti miż-żona industrijali, jiġi desinjat bħala ODZ ħalli jkun jista’ jkompli jitgawda mill-pubbliku, jintuża mill-bdiewa u jservi ta’ buffer zone għas-sit tan-Natura 2000.
L-għaqdiet iddikjaraw li ser ikomplu bil-ġlieda tagħhom sabiex jitħares dan is-sit u l-madwar tiegħu. Għalhekk qegħda tiġi oranizzata mixja informattiva għall-apprezzament tal-ambjent u l-istorja ta’ madwar Wied Żnuber u b’oppożizzjoni sħiħa lejn il-pjanijiet li qegħdin jhedduh. Il-mixja ser issir nhar is-Sibt 19 ta’ Marzu fl-10:30am mill-knisja ta’ Bengħajsa f’Birżebbuġa sas-sit fejn hemm il-pjan għall-mitjar.
Firmatarji tal-ittra
1. Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuġa
2. 12th Birżebbuġa Girl Guides
3. Blanzuni Birżebbuġa
4. ŻAK Birżebbuġa
5. L-Uffiċjali Għaqda Sajjieda Dilettanti Birżebbuġa
6. Malta Climbing Club (MCC)
7. Malta Rock Climbing Club (MRCC)
8. Moviment Graffitti
9. BirdLife Malta
10. Din l-Art Ħelwa
11. Ramblers’ Association Malta
12. Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
13. Friends of the Earth Malta
14. Rota
15. The Archaeological Society Malta
16. Extinction Rebellion Malta
