The government has decided to create
a national commissioner for the decontamination of the Land of
Fires, an area where criminal organisations have dumped and
burned trash and toxic waste for decades between the southern
Italian provinces of Naples and Caserta, well-informed sources
said Wednesday.
The proposal was made by Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto
Fratin.
The sources said the role could be given by the government to an
existing structure, the commissioner in charge of clearing
landfills and contaminated sites.
Last month, the European Court of Human Rights said in a ruling
that the Italian State is failing in its duty to ensure the
safety of the inhabitants in Campania's area.
The Court said that Italy had "failed to deal with such a
serious situation with the diligence and expedition required -
despite having known about the problem for many years".
The court said that some 2.9 million people live in the Land of
Fires', where increased rates of cancer and pollution of
groundwater have been recorded.
It said Italy had two years to draw up a comprehensive strategy
to address the situation, set up an independent monitoring
mechanism, and establish a public information platform.
It added that 35 pending applications regarding the Land of
Fires from around 4,700 applicants will be adjourned for this
period.
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