The company that has been developing the infrastructure in and around the Alqueva dam (EDIA) has objected strongly to the League for the Protection of Nature’s (LPN) allegations that it had run riot around the lake area, felling trees needlessly and breaking all sorts of eco-guidelines as determined by various environmental laws.
In a statement the company repudiates the unfounded allegations from LPN, which it considers is for the sole purpose of denigrating the company’s image.
Eugene Sequeira, the national leader of the LPN responded today with, "See you in court."
In a statement last Wednesday the LPN announced that it had asked the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forestry, and the Portuguese Environment Agency for clarification about the felling of 10,000 protected trees along the alqueva dam shore, and demanded that action be taken against those involved.
The LPN stated that the felling of trees on this grand scale was "outside-the law and the logging contract had been issued without tender and authorisation" and also complained at the company’s behaviour over the past ten years which it claims has been characterised by “serious shortcomings and illegalities.”
EDIA said that in the 2007 contract it signed with the State it became responsible for the management of the public area around the waters edge as it was dealing with water abstraction for irrigation and electricity production. The company claims it is not responsible for managing the areas further from the water where the felling has been going on with managers adding that they thought the tree felling was the responsibility of the LPN.
Indeed EDIA are at pains to point out that at no time has LPN contacted it to clarify the tree felling activity.
According to LPN the company started off badly as it "cleared up and deforested several areas without compliance with environmental legislation and European directives that are in force to protect threatening species."
