RESIDENTS OF EL EJIDO have been making known their displeasure over the mosquito problem in the area.
The problem comes from the Puntas Entinas natural park, next to the Almerimar port, which is full of water after the rains and an ideal breeding place for mosquitos.
Just walking along the paseo can be complicated because of the “clouds” of mosquitoes, according to complaints.
Just a few days ago technicians studying the problem held meetings with the El Ejido and Roquetas townhall, a meeting at which the delegate for the environment Clemente Garcia was not present.
However, despite promises made at the meeting, local councillors are not optimistic the problem will be efficiently tackled.
One man who doubts the Junta will take action is none other than the councilor of Agriculture and Environment of the City of El Ejido, Jorge Viseras.
Sr Visieras has criticised the “indifferent” attitude of the Junta towards the problem, and says that his department still has not received any firm promise of action from the regional government, who is in charge of fumigating in the natural park.
According to the councilman, the problem lies in "the lack of control of the mosquito population in the Natural Park of Punta Entinas. The Junta has deceived the public, lying about their obligations of the management of mosquitoes in the area”.
Sr Visieras asked why, in the recent meeting, "instead of the delegate, who promised to come but instead went to Fiñana for no good reason, a technician, with no real responsibility, from the Delegation was responsible for conducting the meeting ".
The councilman stressed that the meeting proceeded normally, and noted the "professionalism and scientific rigor" in the study conducted by the scientists from Huelva, responsible for analyzing the presence of these insects in Punta Entina.
However, he clarifies that at the end of the meeting, the technician from the Delegation of Environment told those present, "with a nervous little smile, that the powers within the protected area of Punta Entinas Sabinar are delegated to the municipalities affected”
Therefore, the area of Health of the City of El Ejido has commissioned a study from their law firm to ask for a legal opinion on whose duty it is to fumigate in the area.
The area of Punta Entinas was handed over to the Junta de Andalucía some years ago, as it was considered to be a natural park and hence outside of the control of the townhall.
The Junta asked for an independent study to be carried out on how best to fumigate the area without damaging other natural species.
This report, which took two years to compile, was finally finished last month.
However, El Ejido townhall has indicated that the Junta does not appear ready to authorise the fumigation, but neither is it prepared to hand permission back to the scandal ridden townhall.
Meanwhile, local residents continue to complain about “enormous” mosquitos, and fear the worse for the year ahead.

A WOMAN WAS INJURED in Almeria city yesterday evening when a glass cornice fell on her.
The accident occurred at around 18:30 in the central Paseo de Almeria shopping street. The glass and metal cornice, which measured one metre by 50 centimetres, fell from a first floor balcony of the building which houses the BBVA bank and struck the woman on the shoulder.
Emergency services were called and the woman was taken to hospital. Witnesses report she was conscious as she was taken away by ambulance and public works councillor, Francisco Amizián, confirmed the woman had not suffered any serious injuries.
A member of the ambulance crew said: “She has been lucky that it struck her on the shoulder. If it had hit her head, she would not be around to tell the story.”
All the other cornices on the building have now been removed while technicians from the council study whether or not they are safe.
Members of the council attended to inspect the building and the area of street surrounding it was temporarily cordoned off.