The Neighborhood Coordinator against the establishment of a gypsum mine in San Miguel de Salinas has, in just a few days, collect more than a thousand signatures that are against the proposal. In coordination with the Association of Residents San Miguel Arcángel, the group has called a demonstration for next Sunday morning, 14 November 14 at twelve 12 noon.
The protest will start at the headquarters of the Association crossing the main road, la calle 19 de abril, and walking to the Plaza de la Iglesia.
The proposal submitted by Rio de Aguas SL, which is part of the powerful Almeria group Torralba , currently in a period of public consultation, is creating a great deal of concern among residents. They fear that the value of their properties will be reduced if the project, which will see the development of an area covering 1,400 hectares, situated between the Sierra Escalona and the town, goes ahead.
The San Miguel council (PP and UPyD) has clearly expressed its rejection of the project, although it considers that the protest is premature, is generating unnecessary social alarm and “is being used politically,” because it has not yet been authorised. The mayor, Ángel Sáez, according to the Coordinator, does not plan to support the protest.
The City Council has registered an objection against a request by the company to investigate the possibility of such an undertaking. Rio de Aguas SL countered, however, by stating that in the research phase alone, it intends to invest half a million euros in the project locally.
The town hall says that it expects that with these objections, which have been unanimously approved by all of the political groups (PP, PSOE, UPyD and IU) at the extraordinary plenary session, the request will be thrown out.
