Caravans that were relocated to an area beside Foresta 2000 earlier this month have moved out of the designated site, according to a press release issued jointly by NGOs Din l-Art Helwa, Nature Trust Malta and BirdLife Malta yesterday.

In the statement, they claimed that a meeting held last week with the Mellieha mayor proved fruitful when they were informed that the caravans had to leave the site within a few days.

On 30th June, about 30 to 40 caravans were evicted from an area near the Mellieha Bay Hotel. They had been using the site illegally for some years and some of the caravan owners put pressure on the authorities to provide them with an alternative site.

After that, Mellieha mayor Robert Cutajar told this newspaper that an agreement was reached (with the Lands Department acting as an intermediary) for the temporary relocation of a few of the caravans to a site below the Torri l-Ahmar in Mellieha, which he said was a "dump" before it was cleaned up by the local council.

The site was leased by way of Emphyteusis to accommodate six caravans, as the other caravans left their site near the hotel, but refused to move to the new site.

The NGOs who claimed that a number of trees were cut down and a rubble wall damaged to accommodate the caravans did not welcome this relocation though the location was approved by the Mellieha council.

In fact, the Mellieha mayor said, and this was confirmed during a site visit made by this newspaper, three to four acacia trees had been cut down. Mr Cutajar asserted that Foresta 2000 ranger Ray Vella himself had said that the trees were harmful to health.

As for the rubble wall, Mr Cutajar stated it would be rebuilt, and he said a verbal agreement had been reached for the caravan owners to occupy the site for the summer while the caravan owners were expected to sign a written agreement eventually.