Oliva officials say little gained from flood talks

OLIVA is sceptical about the results of recent top-level meetings focusing on the Rambla de la Gallinera.

The local mayor, David Gonzalez Martinez, accompanied by the councillor responsible for town planning and a specialist town hall official travelled recently to Madrid for talks with officials from the ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment and the General Water Directorate. Also present were representatives from the publicly owned company Acuamed, commissioned to channel the Gallinera watercourse to prevent the disastrous floods of the past. The project is currently at a standstill.

On his return Gonzalez Martinez met spokespeople from the parties on the local council and all expressed disappointment at the Madrid meeting.

The mayor and his colleagues left the capital with only an assurance that plans existed to dam the Gallinero upstream although the Director General could not guarantee when or if this would be constructed. A definitive answer would come in October, she said.

The European Union is preparing to take disciplinary action against Spain for not completing the Gallinera project. This is included in other projects that are all aimed at flood prevention and which have been largely financed with EU funds.