Oil rig works in Senglea 'detrimental' to residents' health - AD

Video by Ray Attard

Residents of Bastion Street in Senglea were being kept up all night as maintenance works on two oil rigs is being carried out and Alternattiva Demokratika leaders Arnold Cassola and Carmel Cacopardo today questioned who allowed the works to be carried out in a residential area.

The works are being carried out by Palumbo Shipyards.

The two, also candidates for the European Parliament elections, said that while the dockyard had to do its work, this cannot be done at the detriment of residents' health.

"Works going on day and night are having an impact on residents' health. Who approved for these two oil rigs to be brought in a residential areas? Residents are not even sleeping due to the ongoing noise," Cassola said.

He said, that throughout its years of operation, this was not the first time that the shipyard had been the cause of residents’ irritation both as a result of noise generated as well as a result of the impacts of grit blasting.

Cacopardo added that it was the dockyard's obligation to consider the minimal impact on residents.

"What is MEPA's environment directorate doing? Last week it recommended that a similar permit is issued in Birzebbugia, showing that it was insensitive to the residents' needs."

AD welcomed the position taken by both the government and opposition against the Freeport permit and urged the government to disassociate itself from the works being carried out at Senglea.

It was unclear for AD who issued the permits for the maintenance of two oil rigs so close to a residential area.

"This type of activity is not compatible with the area and it should not be tolerated. Moreover, we have to start seriously considering the impacts work have before a project is improved. Impact levels must be manageable," Cacopardo said.

Works on one of the oil rigs started at least four days ago, while works on the second one started even before.

The continuous humming of machinery is irritating residents, who complained of lack of sleep even for their children.

Cassola said the conclusion one derived was that the Environment Directorate within MEPA was insensitive towards the needs of residents.

“This, clearly is a conclusion which one draws not just with reference to Senglea. Last week we witnessed how the same Environment Directorate recommended to the MEPA Board that the activity of oil rig maintenance be permitted at the Marsaxlokk Port, along the Freeport quays,” he said.