A very small town (vila) in the "By-the-Tagus-land" (Ribatejo), on the right bank of the Tagus River, a few kilometers North to the town of Vila Franca de Xira.

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When the Tagus is in flood, this land is submerged - several people have to use boats to go inside and come outside their homes. There's notice of people who lost all they've had, because the running waters took it all away...

And it is specifically nearby Castanheira do Ribatejo, on some of the most fertile soils to be found in Portugal and right in the middle of the Tagus maximum flood plain - with our Government's agreement and approval - that a huge construction is nowadays being prepared: the so called North Lisbon Logistical Platform (Plataforma Logística de Lisboa Norte), a major project now in progress, occupying an area of 100 hectares, extendable to 150 (one hectare is about 2.5 acres).

This location has been chosen by the Portuguese Government, ignoring the existing environmental and territorial legislation, such as the National Agricultural Reserve, the National Ecological Reserve, the Municipality Directive Plan of Vila Franca de Xira (Plano Director Municipal) and the Lisbon Metropolitan Regional Territory Plan (Plano Regional de Ordenamento do Território da Área Metropolitana de Lisboa) - as per the Cabinet Resolution (Resolução do Conselho de Ministros) nº 13/2007, January 24th.

Oh yes:

- the lettuces are in the supermarket; therefore, there's no need to preserve our fertile soils; and

- the trucks can easily move on a boat; therefore, they can quite well be driven in flooded areas.

RIDICULOUS, ISN'T IT?

There has been a public discussion by the time of the Environmental Impact Study for this Platform and the better known environmental national association has then issued a public well founded statement against this project. On the other hand, this location for the Platform was based on the idea of the new Lisbon International Airport being built nearby - there was an argument of a "national potencial interest", which is no longer valid, as the new airport is now to be on the opposite bank of the Tagus.

But nevertheless, a few days ago, the portuguese Environment Minister has officially approved the Platform location and construction at Castanheira do Ribatejo - and the environmental and local civic associations have immediately issued a new public statement against it!

[originally posted on Jan 22nd, 2008]

Category: MOUNTS AND VALLEYS