Nerja ignored
A former Nerja mayor says central
government’s budget has ignored Nerja.
José Alberto Armijo of the Partido Popular
said the socialist administration has not
included plans for the completion of the
water treatment plant, the development of
El Playazo beach, the Paseo de
Carabineros beach path, or the new
Guardia Civil base. He blamed the
tripartite administration in Madrid for
“keeping the town paralysed.”
Flu epidemic
The number of victims of influenza in the
province of Málaga is believed to have
peaked in mid-February. Health sources at
the regional government say this winter’s
flu outbreak reached “epidemic”
proportions. Doctors have reminded
patients that the virus cannot be treated
with antibiotics and that anyone infected
should not attend work or school to stop it
spreading.
Drugs raids
Guardia Civil officers have arrested 29
people in Málaga and Cádiz for suspected
involvement in a huge drugs trafficking
operation. Most of the detentions were
recorded after land, sea and air raids on La
Linea de la Concepción, close to the
border with Gibraltar. Police allege that
the gang was controlling 70% of the
hashish brought into Spain from Morocco.
Another breakwater
Central government has invited tenders
for the construction of a second
breakwater in Torrox. The construction is
intended to give extra protection to
Ferrara beach which has suffered from
loss of sand in severe weather. The 11-
month project has a budget of €30,578.
Meanwhile a residents group in El Morche
has asked for special protection for its
beaches which suffer the loss of sand in
bad weather. The area from the dunes at
Las Lindes to the Güi river is of special
concern, they say. They have told Vélez
Council and the region’s Costas
department that the beaches have been
becoming “unworkable” over the last
decade, despite being in an area of
important tourist occupation.
Graffiti suspects
Four men in their 20s have been detained
in Málaga in connection with graffiti
painted on railway engines and coaches.
Police said they were identified after
posting photos of their work on social
media, adding that other detentions are
likely. Removing the paint which was
applied in at least 17 incidents has cost an
estimated €50,000.
Nerja’s coastal path
to re-open
Part of Nerja’s coastal pathway east of
the town centre could be open to
visitors again before the summer. The
entire 1.2 kilometre path, the Paseo de
los Carbineros, was opened in the mid-
1990s and runs along the foot of the
cliffs linking the Balcón de Europa to
Burriana beach.
It was closed 17 years ago after rock
falls on some stretches made it
dangerous, since when it has become a
refuge for the homeless with
consequent deposits of rubbish and
debris. Last September, land slippage
in the cliffs fractured a sewage pipe at
the eastern end, forcing a large area of
Burriana beach to be closed to bathers
for some weeks. Rivas, indicated last month that work
would start “soon,” and that the stretch
is likely to be open before the summer.
Now, however, Nerja Town Council
has around €100,000 in this year’s
budget which it plans to use to stabilise
the slopes and then open 300 metres
of the pathway between Burriana
beach and the Mirador de Bendito. The
council for infrastructure, José María He underlined that the town would like
to re-open the complete walkway but
further stabilisation of the cliffs is
required. Talks with the Costas
department of the regional
government are underway to find the
best solution, he added.
pic: John Peatey
Nerja´s Paseo de los Carabineros, showing
deterioration
Power problem lingers
in Alcaucín
Residents of the apartment block Arco
Iris in Puente de Don Manuel, in the
municipality of Alcaucín, have been
protesting again following 12 years
during which they have not had legal
electricity meters. The group even
suffered a long period without power
in 2014 when Endesa cut off the
supply, but were finally able to be
reconnected, albeit on a temporary
basis.
The problem appears to centre on the
transformer required to connect the
block of 61 apartments to the national
grid. Alcaucín Town Hall says that in
2007, after the block was completed
and residents moved in with first
occupation licences, it was found that
part of the construction is in a zone
earmarked for public installations.
This meant that the power supplier
was not legally able to install the
transformer.
The residents themselves paid out over
16
£150,000 five years ago to have a
transformer installed, but some
insurance companies are reported to be
refusing cover because of its unclear
status. Not surprisingly, this is a major
problems when apartments within the
block are changing hands.
The owners say they are “totally
desperate” to be continually living in a
legal limbo and say that neither
Alcaucín’s mayor nor the regional
ombudsman has so far been able to
help them. They continue to stage
protests as they say they are
“continually in fear” of losing their
power supplies again.
However, mayor Mario Blancke told
reporters last month that work is
underway to legalise the block, as well
as others in the municipality which
find themselves in similar situations.
He added that he will have the support
of the provincial government in
reaching a solution.