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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 JANUARY 2020
NEWS
indigenous trees for every tree
lost.
The permit is also subject to a
bank guarantee of €509,750 and
ERA "may take part or all of the
bank guarantee if IM "fails to take
the necessary action, in cases of
non-compliance with these per-
mit conditions."
The permit obliged Infrastruc-
ture Malta to inform ERA on the
dates of works seven days prior to
their commencement. IM was al-
so obliged to nominate an experi-
enced tree expert to monitor the
transplanting works and ensure
that the transplanting is carried
out in line with ERA's guidelines.
ERA had to be informed of this
appointment 10 days before the
commencement of work.
The ERA spokesperson con-
firmed that in addition to the
ERA officers which are monitor-
ing works, a "suitably qualified
and experienced arboricultural
expert" has been appointed as
necessitated by the permit. But
ERA did not confirm whether it
had been notified before works
started two weeks ago. The works
had been commenced while the
courts are still hearing an appeal
against the approval of the pro-
ject.
One of various almond trees that should have been transplanted: the ERA has yet to decide whether to fine IM for each tree
destroyed
PHOTO JAMES BIANCHI
