River authority appeals building plans

The Kishon River Authority has issued an appeal against the local planning and construction committee and the Israel Ports Company for authorizing the construction of container storage areas and fencing along the river.

By MIRIAM BULWAR DAVID-HAY
The Kishon River Authority has issued an appeal against the local planning and construction committee and the Israel Ports Company for authorizing the construction of container storage areas and fencing along the river, reports Yediot Haifa. The authority says the work would cause irreparable damage to the river's environment and is in contravention of government plans for rehabilitating the Kishon. According to the report, the authority is protesting plans to build an asphalt yard next to the river for the storage of shipping containers, as well as a road leading to the yard. An authority spokesperson said this would endanger the flora and fauna in the area, and was in defiance of the government's master plan for the rehabilitation of the river. An Israel Ports Company spokesman said development of the ports was "vital" for the national economy, and the area chosen for storage was equally vital for the smooth running of the ports. The spokesman denied that the work would harm the Kishon Park, adding that any delay would cost the economy heavily. A municipal spokesman said there should not be any split between the development of the ports and the development of the park, and that both projects needed to be carried out in cooperation.