The municipal government of Güímar approved a subsidy of 6,600 euros (from this year’s budget) for each person affected by the eviction and closure of Las Bajas, which took place on March 10, 2021, due to the risk of landslide on the slope located above the village’s houses. This is the second rental assistance provided to the residents since then, reflecting our total commitment to the affected individuals from the outset,” said the local government. This financial support has been in effect since the 9th of last month, through a decree.
The governing body also appeals to the responsibility of the population “to avoid risks.” The maritime storm recorded in the early hours of April 10 last destroyed access to Las Bajas, flooded, and caused significant damage to the village’s homes. A report from the Local Police (April 19) specifies that work was carried out “with a mechanical shovel” and “commissioned by individuals to facilitate access to the Las Bajas Path,” an action that “lacked enabling title.”
Audiencia Procedure
For this reason, also by decree, the City Council grants several people – located in the buildings of Las Bajas on that day – an audience procedure, understanding that “they breached the prohibition of access to said area,” the Council pointed out. Closure valid from the day the residents left their homes to carry out (unfinished) work on stabilising the slope.
Closure of access to Las Bajas, on March 10, 2021. | | ED / J. A. M.
“We cannot allow this behaviour because they are risking their lives with this decision, so we urge them to be aware and comply with the measure that was adopted (…), which was not easy, but the insecurity derived from the risk of landslide, threatening the integrity of property and individuals, made it necessary to act promptly to prevent tragedies,” the local government points out.
Fence Replacement
The same storm caused the fence at the entrance to fall. The City Council urgently contracted a perimeter closure of almost 350 metres “with a special and reinforced fence,” for 34,700 euros. It is carried out according to “the technical conditions set by the Government of the Canary Islands and the Provincial Coastal Service,” notes the governing body.
Located on the seaside of the tunnels of the Southern Motorway (TF-1) as it passes through Güímar, Las Bajas is a settlement of about twenty houses, caves, or cave houses, with a permanent population of eight families.
Background
By decree, on March 12, 2021, the City Council awarded the emergency work to reinforce and stabilise the slope, a contract signed on May 6 of that year with an initial budget of 342,865 euros. On June 9 of that year, a tidal wave storm rendered the work inaccessible by destroying the access road. The Coastal Department authorised an extension of the emergency zone with the temporary conditioning project of the Las Bajas road for machinery access to the emergency work, amounting to 94,656 euros.
The Council explains that the supervisory direction of the work informs that these efforts “aim to minimise the dangers and exposure of individuals and property, which (…) will allow the road to return to an appropriate level of safety to regain its use.”
Work Halting
In June 2021, the supervisory direction of the works issues an extraordinary report quantifying the cost of the works at 1,037,180 euros, as highlighted by the municipal government. Subsequently, the General Secretariat and the contract officer send a formal request to the Mayor “to order the discontinuation of the works.” The Mayor decrees (August 26, 2021) and “orders the temporary suspension of the reinforcement works to stabilise the slope immediately.” The awarded company files an administrative contentious appeal against the contract resolution due to non-compliance, a matter pending judicial resolution.
Las Bajas is currently a hub subject to 19 files for the recovery of the maritime-land public domain by the General Directorate of Coasts and Seas.
