Mayors reject plan to prevent flooding

MAYORS of the Vega Baja and Crevillente have railed against the proposed plan to protect the area against flooding by the national government’s Segura river and water authority (CHS).

Instead of a solution, it proposes letting many areas flood, which would affect residents and important economic sectors, such as agriculture, according to the mayors of Catral, Crevillente, Daya Vieja, Dolores, Granja de Rocamora, Guardamar, San Fulgencio and San Isidro.

They argue that the plan was drafted behind their backs and demand to be involved in devising one that will safeguard the area. They will start by meeting with the different administrations that have authority in these matters, firstly regarding the regional government flooding plan, which they claimed is unviable, incomplete and incoherent, as it seriously affects agriculture and local economies, and was also drawn up without asking for their opinions or agreement.

“We are absolutely against this report and it is urgent to find a consensual solution that benefits everyone and does not harm just the Vega Baja,” asserted the mayors.

They have already met with farming associations from the Crevillente district of San Felipe Neri, Catral, Dolores and San Fulgencio, who claimed the regional government plans ‘offer hardly any actions to resolve the flooding problems, or worse still suggest solutions that put environmental interests above all else and would provoke the end of this area’.

The mayors demanded the CHS proposed flood protection plan be withdrawn on the basis that it is ‘immensely harmful for the area’ and includes some claims ‘we do not share and will oppose with all our strength and means at our disposal’, such as that it is necessary to restore some of the wetlands that were dried out to create farmland and establish San Fulgencio in the 18th century.