Salini rehabilitation project on schedule

The Salini rehabilitation project is on schedule and will be concluded by the end of this year, Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino and Tourism Minister Mario de Marco said. They said during a visit this afternoon that the aim was for the €7 million project, which started in December 2011, to be concluded by the end of October, beginning of November. The project, 75 per cent of which is funded by the EU, involves the restoration and cleaning of the salt pans, which will return to production after being halted by damage caused by floods. Salt production was badly affected by the floods of 1998 and again in 2003. In the recent floods, the embankment of the pans was badly damaged and the pans (under sea level) were flooded with stagnant water and debris. The wooden huts were also badly damaged and are being rebuilt. They will be used for the storage and processing/packaging of the salt and also as an interpretation centre. At the Ximenes Redoubt on the other side of the road, a visitors’ centre will be set up. This will be linked to the salt pans through an underpass. Storm water canals to contain rainwater are also being built. Mr Pullicino described the saltpans as a treasure,...