Regional minister calls on the CHJ to allow local councils to clean river beds and ravines
Heavy rain in Xàbia last week caused some flooding in the valley, engulfing a stable complex.
The Regional Minister for Agriculture, Water, Livestock and Fisheries, Miguel Barrachina, has accused the Confederación Hidrográfica del Júcar (CHJ) of preventing town councils from carrying out cleaning actions in the water courses that pass through their municipalities which would minimize the risk of flooding.
The CHJ is responsible for the hydrological network in a drainage basin in which the Júcar is the main river and is dependent on the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), headed by Teresa Ribera. One of its principle responsibilities is flood risk management.
Barrachina pointed out that “the dragging and clogging of bamboo, reeds and other debris make it difficult for water to pass through at different points in the channels, especially at bridges, which contributes to the flooding”. He said that the lack of preventive action [such as the regular cleaning and removing of such debris] endangers both people and infrastructure and he has called upon the CHJ to allow the removal of “reeds, sticks, weeds and waste” that block the channels within municipal boundaries.
He has stressed the need to give municipal authorities greater autonomy to intervene in the cleaning of these areas, especially in emergency situations: “municipal authorities must have greater autonomy to intervene in the cleaning of these areas, especially in emergency situations.”
He also pointed out that the CHJ’s refusal to authorize preventive interventions reflects “an alarming disconnection with the reality that our municipalities face.” He also criticized the fact that on many occasions local administrations do not even receive a response to their requests, which leaves citizens exposed to dangers that could be prevented. “We cannot allow bureaucracy to leave our citizens exposed to dangers”.
The heavy rain that fell in the valley of Xàbia last Wednesday caused the Barranqueres Ravine to overflow which, although not causing the widespread flooding that devastated so many municipalities around Valencia, did result in water overflowing into the lower land around Camí Vell de Gata, including engulfing stables which saw some damage to its fencing and the need to evacuate horses to higher land.
