ALERT OVER HUGE RESERVOIR HANGING OVER RURAL HOMESBy David Eade
Ecologistas en Acción have issued an alert to people living in the Llano de la Cruz rural area of Ronda over a massive reservoir literally hanging over their heads.
The zone is the location of rural dwellings and holiday homes – the latter attracting many British holidaymakers on a year round basis. On top of a hill overlooking these houses is a reservoir that the ecologists claim has a capacity of 80 million litres of water.
A larger and smaller reservoir are on the upper reaches of land belonging to the finca Corchero. There is a steep slope running up to the water deposits and should there ever be a rupture of the reservoirs then millions of litres of water would pour down on to the homes below.
The owner of the land says there is no cause for alarm as the reservoirs have all the required licences, have been inspected by responsible technicians and pose no danger to people living in the area.
However the environmentalists counter that some 200 people would be affected by any breach in the reservoirs and they had not been made aware of their presence. None-the-less it has to be said that for the past two summers at least fire fighting helicopters have used the reservoirs to take up water to tackle forest fires so residents should have known there was a large amount of water stored there.
The water deposits have been built to irrigate a proposed wine growing area on the surrounding lands. What local residents may find more alarming than the threat of the water is that another plan exists for the creation of 30 mansions of 258 square metres each on plots of no less than 50,000 square metres with Spas, bodegas and outside swimming pools.
James Philips has lived in the Llano de la Cruz for over two years. He told Ronda News: “I was not aware that there was such a large reservoir above our heads. This winter we have had a lot of rain and one fears what would happen if the deposit overflowed or the hillside slipped. I also knew nothing about the plans to build luxury homes on the hill – what start’s as a upmarket development tends to end up as an urban sprawl – just look at Marbella where a few upmarket urbanisations have given way to hillsides of concrete.”
CHESTNUT MUSEUM
Chestnuts play an important part in the economy of Pujerra so it is only fitting that the village in the Alto Genal should have a museum dedicate to this nut. It will be located in the centre of Pujerra with the aim of attracting more tourists to the zone. It will be the first museum in Spain solely dedicated to the chestnut and should open in November or December. Mayor Francisco Maciás is fully aware that the future of Pujerra lies in a mix of rural tourism and the proceeds of the land – so the museum will combine these two assets.
SPECIAL DVDS
Ronda’s National Police have arrested two men aged 25 and 27 plus a 29-year old woman for allegedly trafficking in drugs from a DVD rental shop in San Cristobal. It is stated that they gave out the cocaine in DVD covers so as not to attract suspicion. Police found 400 grams of cocaine, equipment for its preparation plus 23,000 euros on the premises.
HORSE SCHOOL
On Monday Ronda town hall started work on creating the Escuela Municipal de Equitación. It will be located at a stud farm already owned by the municipality. Around 70,000 euros is being invested with 70 per cent coming from the ministry of agriculture and the work will take two months. The project will include an equine therapy service for treating horse related illnesses.
AGRO TOURISM
The Hotel Molino del Santo in Benaoján recently hosted a seminar on Agro Tourism organized by Asaja Málaga. This were three talks such the first dealt with Marketing in Rural Tourism, the second was on quality standards whilst the third covered the commercialization of rural and agro tourism.
HORSE TRADING
Although Ronda’s Feria de Mayo was cancelled because of the economic crisis the horse traders came together to stage their sales which dates back to 1509. Over 500 horses, mules and donkeys were at the traditional market. However a sign of the hard times was reflected in the fact that animals were sold for 50 per cent less than usual with fewer sales.
VIOLENT WOMAN
A 40-year-old Setenil woman has been arrested for assaulting a Ronda police officer. A patrol found her in a disorientated state wandering around the UVA district. An ambulance was called and as the police helped her in to the vehicle she hit one of the officers in the genitals. The ambulance crew insisted an officer travelled with the woman but she also attacked him.
ROMERIA TIME
Brotherhoods are setting off from all over southern Spain to take part in the celebrations of El Rocío in Almonte, Huelva. On Sunday there was a procession through Ronda of the Virgen María Auxiliadora drawn on an ox cart followed by those making the pilgrimage and the tractor drawn caravans in which they stay during the journey to and from Almonte and the celebrations.
