Located in the hillside hamlet of Palmeira, the quarry’s activity has long generated discontent among the local.
“The activity is noisy, by which you can tell that they work out of hours, there is night lighting that is not allowed either. The people who live there are absolutely right”, the Mayor said.
Mayor André recalls that the quarry has been licensed since the 1980s and at present, the entity that has jurisdiction over it is the General Directorate of Energy and Geology.
“There have been several communications from me to have this entity inspect and monitor what is happening in this area”, the Mayor added.
There is currently a request to enlarge the quarry.
“The Municipal council will give a negative opinion”, he assured.
Rui André stresses that he has embargoed works that were already going on outside the perimeter of the quarry; however, the quarry itself continues to operate since it has a license to do so.
“I do not understand why the enforcement agencies do not enforce the law”, he slammed, warning that the quarry “could damage the protection perimeter of Caldas de Monchique”, where mineral water is produced, as well as a number of archaeological resources located in that area.
“Any inhabitant in Monchique who wants to do a small intervention in their house has a series of constraints because they are in RAN (National Agricultural Network), REN (National Ecological Network), of Rede Natura classified zones”, laments the mayor, stressing that an industrial activity as a quarry “appears to be neither inspected nor monitored by the competent authorities.