The spokesperson for Water of the Popular Group in Les Corts, María Gómez, has demanded that the Júcar Hydrographic Confederation (CHJ) expedite and start "once and for all" the flood prevention works that are still pending in the province of Valencia given the proximity of the rainy season. According to her complaint, the agency itself admits in a report "that only 3.92 percent of the planned actions have been executed."
These statements come a day after the president of the Valencian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FVMP), Paqui Bartual, sent a letter to the president of the CHJ, Miguel Polo, conveying the "concern" of the municipalities regarding the state of the new riverbed of the Turia River and several ravines and streams that cross their municipal terms, a situation that "especially worries" due to the proximity of the autumn rainy period.
In a statement, María Gómez emphasized that the CHJ "not only has pending work in the maintenance of the riverbeds, but also accumulates unjustifiable delays in works that are fundamental to reduce the risk of flooding and protect our municipalities."
The 'popular' deputy has focused her criticism on the unexecuted interventions in the area affected by the dana, where, she recalled, "emergency works have been executed, but the structural actions that can really make a difference are still pending." Among these, she mentioned the channeling of the Poyo ravine and the diversion of the Saleta, works "planned for years and that continue to remain unmaterialized."
"We are talking about works that were planned since 2015 and that still lack a response commensurate with the needs of our municipalities," she stressed. "With luck, by 2030 we may have the diversion of the Saleta finished, while for the channeling of the Poyo we don't even have a specific date," lamented the parliamentarian.
For Gómez, these "delays" show that the Government of Spain "arrives late and poorly to an issue that cannot tolerate further delays." In her opinion, "the rainy season is approaching again and our municipalities cannot be waiting to see if the responsible administrations have done their homework or not. Prevention cannot consist solely of acting after a disaster," she concluded.