The La Sabina Society, owner of the overwhelming majority of land on which the São de Domingos Mine was built, as a result of mining carried out until 1966, wants to put an end to the vegetable gardens and illegal buildings on the banks of Tapadas Grande and Pequena.
After being present at the Parish Assembly of Corte do Pinto and the Municipal Assembly of Mértola,, where he showed “total availability to mediate the conflict between the company and residents”, President of the local authority, Mario Thomas, met this Thursday afternoon with Jurgen Magnus, administrator of La Sabina, having finally revealed to JN that “nothing relevant resulted”, concluded.
In a document signed by the chairman of the Board of Directors, the company released a statement to the population making it known that “no fences are allowed, limitations, passage impediments, vegetable gardens and material deposits, on their land”, leaving the warning that “it will take measures regarding illegal buildings and works, built on your property.”, justify.
The owners of the company La Sabina leave a warning to those targeted so that they can “withdraw from their initiative”, as well as its movable and immovable assets, voluntarily, to 15 next October”, Remata.
The approximately fifty vegetable gardens have existed in that location for many decades and at the time of the mine's operation, the same were authorized to workers “to sow vegetables, as a complement to family nutrition”, but there is nothing written about the transfer/possession of the land, in which some of the cases have already passed from parents to children or other family members.
The situation became extreme after the violent fire last day 16 of June that consumed a vast area of Tapada Grande, which did not jeopardize the river beach, considered one of the best in Europe in terms of interior. The Lidador News (LN) found out from a source at the Territorial Command of the GNR of Beja that “a report was prepared and sent to the Public Ministry of Mértola about the incident”, which will have been sent to the Portuguese Environment Agency. At the time of the fire, one of the difficulties faced by the eight dozen 9 fire brigades felt on the ground, it was the lack of access, due to the existence of fences and impediments to passages. The fire mobilized four aerial assets.
The case is causing a huge stir in the old mining village, with the president of the Municipal Council of Mértola, taking the clear position of “defense of vegetable gardens. Anything that is a building that is not licensed is something that the local authority cannot overtake”, justified.
The mayor of Mertolen adds that “it is necessary to give legality to the situation through a protocol between the parties, with respect for the rights of each person”, concluded.
On your social media page, the São Domingos Mina Residents Committee went public to say that “we are contacting entities that could help us counter La Sabina’s warning”, adding that he sent an email “to the competent authorities (Alentejo Water Administration and Portuguese Environment Agency) and has already spoken to a lawyer to accompany us in the fight”, justified.
Those who remain in expectation are the users of the gardens who are waiting for the municipality to be able to broker an agreement with the administrators of La Sabina and continue to enjoy them, as has been the case in recent decades..
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
