Quarries and kilns continue environmental damage to protected areas, state institutions refuse responsibility

26/01/2023 21:02

The Krasta – Verjon area in Kruja, central Albania, has been declared a protected landscape since July 2018. Although this was followed by other decisions preventing the work of quarries and lime kilns in the area which destroy it every day, the decisions have remained only on paper as the environmental carnage continues despite the fact that their exploitation permit has been suspended.

‘Fiks Fare’ program on Top Channel brought images of the area that prove the environmental disaster as the quarries continue to work while the police tapes are removed and replaced on will by the workers of the construction companies.

Journalists of Fiks Fare met with workers and administrators who claim that they are working even though they know that their activity is legally suspended.

The companies “Priska shpk” and “Makareshi shpk” both of these quarries and building waste points have been blocked since 2019, but their work continues.

As if this was not enough, the journalists managed to film how they removed the tapes placed by the police and put them back after they had finished their daily work, thus committing another serious legal offence.

But apart from quarries, lime kilns and tire burning continue during the day in the protected areas.

The workers who work in these ovens when they meet the journalists claim that they do not know their owners, and that they are there for the first time.

Everything that is done in daylight and the smoke of the furnaces can be seen from afar, in the middle of the protected area.

Urban waste is also dumped there as journalists shot dozens of piles along the entire length of the road, from quarries to lime kilns.

Apparently state institutions are satisfied with their paperwork.

The National Environment Agency in an official response to the investigative show confirmed that the quarries in the protected area have been closed.

Meanwhile, the Krujë Municipality remains unconcerned and does not return any answers to the questions initiated by Fiks Fare.

FOTO GALERI
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