Nearly 200 residents of San Miguel de Salinas took part in a demonstration on Tuesday in Alicante’s Montanyeta Square, directly in front of the Headquarters of the Provincial Government, to try to halt the installation of a solar plant that will affect nearly 200 hectares of land and more than 70 farming families in the municipality.
They are asking that the construction, which is being built to support the operation of the Torrevieja Desalination Plant, be built closer to Torrevieja, maybe even in the sea, which would not affect the livelihoods of so many people.
The Neighbourhood Association “San Miguel Arcángel” say that the but the weight of the whole project must be shared. “It cannot be placed on a municipality that will lose tourism and agriculture.”
María Conchita Marín and Jesús Pérez, farmers who own land that has been earmarked for the solar plant say, “It will mean the destruction of a town, we are small farmers, and more than 70 families will be affected. We are not against solar panels, but we are against the damage that it will cause to the town and its people.”
This demonstration has managed to mobilise all the residents of the municipality and even has the unanimous support of all political parties, something for which the mayor, Juan de Dios Fresneda, wanted to give thanks, “I want to thank all the groups in the municipality, they have sided with the government so that we can lead the way in this fight.”
Following the protest in Alicante San Miguel authorities and residents have said that they are not going to stop, “we will go as far as necessary until they listen to us and respect our rights.”
