By Euro Weekly News Media • Published: 09 Oct 2016 • 14:00
LOCAL RESIDENTS: Marched in protest.
LOCAL residents remain in the dark regarding the results of the meeting between the Andalucian Ministry of Infrastructure, rail administrators ADIF, and Cuevas de Almanzora Council which took place on Friday, September 30.
The latter were supposed to present an alternative proposal for the location of a planned spur-thighed tortoise reserve to secretary general of infrastructure, Manuel Niño, but as EWN went to press none of the three parties have released a statement.
Currently, more than 290 landowners stand to be affected by the forced expropriation of their land, with around 500 jobs at stake.
Most of the land is centred around the hamlet of Los Lobos, and local residents have been increasingly vocal in recent weeks, culminating in a protest march on Monday, September 26.
Prior to the hush-hush meeting, to which no representatives from Los Lobos were invited, Cuevas de Almanzora mayor, Antonio Fernandez, had expressed his belief that a positive solution would be sought by all parties.
“We are talking about a social and economic drama,” he said, pleading with the Junta de Andalucia to “stop this project, listen to those affected and consider the alternatives that we have submitted.”
Environmental groups are largely blaming the Junta for the issue, saying there would be no problem if the regional administration had not actively sought to increase the expanse of cultivated land in recent decades, thus leaving so many people affected in this case.
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