Alex Trelinski
A plan to combat pollution in the Mar Menor lagoon has been unveiled in Murcia this Thursday by Spain’s Ecological Transition minister, Teresa Ribera.
The package features 34 specific measures costing €317 million to regenerate the lagoon.
Teresa Ribera talked through the plans with local neighbourhood, environmental and business groups before meeting with Murcia president, Fernando Lopez Miras.
The strategy includes cutting off and dismantling all illegal irrigation systems used by farmers to pump nitrate-laden water into the Mar Menor.
The pollution caused by the systems has caused the death of marine life with dead fish piling up on lagoon beaches in August.
Action will be taken in the Campo de Cartagena to review all permits given to wastewater discharges and a greater control of all farming involving livestock.
Ribera’s plan includes the creation of a ‘Green Belt’ to promote a better environment and change farming to ‘sustainable production’.
The aim is to have the ‘Green Belt’ in place by 2026.
Over €100 million will be allocated to reduce flooding over the next five years and €70 million will be spent improving the drainage network.
Laws will also be strengthened with a new Royal Decree to take tougher action against any polluters.
READ MORE: PIG SLURRY DISCHARGES MAY BE CAUSING MAR MENOR POLLUTION
CAMPAIGNERS FILE MAR MENOR POLLUTION COMPLAINT WITH EUROPEAN UNION
