The Almada City Council sent an open letter to the Government this Thursday calling for an urgent response to “to the accelerated and uncontrolled growth of illegal construction centers in Penajoia and Raposo”.
The document sent to the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, and the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, is signed by 200 residents of adjacent neighborhoods, by the Almada City Council and by the parish councils of Almada, Cova da Piedade, Pragal and Cacilhas, and Caparica and Trafaria. The adjacent neighborhoods are Matadouro and Monte.
“By sending this open letter, the Municipal Council of Almada, together with the two Parish Councils and residents, reiterates its commitment to defending the rights of the population and urban legality, calling for a urgent, responsible and consistent response from the Government and IHRU that restores housing dignity and safeguards the public interest in this territory”explains the municipality in a statement.
In the letter it is mentioned that the expansion “of what is already considered one of the largest illegal neighborhoods in the country this century, located on State land”, result “the lack of responses and concrete actions on the part of the Government and the Housing and Urban Rehabilitation Institute (IHRU)”.
The subscribers also warn of the negative impacts on the municipality, including interruptions to essential public services, significant property damage, accumulation of waste and worsening feelings of insecurity among residents and neighboring communities.
The open letter also states that “the existence of approximately 800 buildings without minimum habitability conditionsand the absence of essential infrastructure, such as sewage, public water and electricity, aggravate the risks to public health and the safety of populations”.
Speaking to the Lusa agency, the president of Almada City Council, Inês de Medeiros, explained that the letter had been being prepared for some time, but that she did not want to make it public during the campaign.
“We waited for the end of the campaign, even assuming the losses that this may have caused, to now make this open letter known, which was in fact circulated. People are desperate because power cuts continue”these.
Inês de Medeiros said that these illegal centers continue to grow, with constructions on the edge of the cliff, and could even pose a security problem. “We are all watching hundreds of people being deceived, buying houses that they will never have the right to, to stay in a place where they cannot stay”said the mayor.
The mayor of Almada, re-elected in the last municipal elections on Sunday, said that o The problem is at all levels, social, human and economic, including affecting companies located in the area that are experiencing power cuts and theft of materials.
Inês de Medeiros considers the situation unsustainable and added that the neighborhoods in question are growing towards the Garcia de Orta hospital area, and could also be affected. “It can put everything at risk, there are thousands of people there without any infrastructure, without anything. Nothing”he maintained.
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