The prefecture of Ariege has ordered the evacuation of wild car wrecks in Pamiers
In Pamiers, car wreckage is piled up next to the tourist reception area. The prefecture ordered the owner to clear the road. In turn, the inter-community community is working on a private housing project for the community.
The situation has moved some elected officials and residents, but it appears to be on its way to resolution. For months, there have been many car accidents on land owned by Aubert & Duval on the bank of the boulevard des Usines, in the immediate vicinity of the tourist reception area. Dozens of car crashes, along with batteries and other potentially polluting fuel tanks for a nearby river, prompted authorities to begin evacuation procedures. As such, Ariege Prefecture commissioned an inspection of the classified installations (ICPE) of the Regional Directorate of Environment, Planning and Housing (Dreal) to conduct on-site findings. This visit took place on October 3.
“The act of operation of the storage and processing facility of end-of-life cars has been drawn up. The report compiled after this visit was sent to the operator, who undertook to evacuate the stored vehicles by April 8, 2023, by letter dated November 7, 2022. A formal notification will be offered for the signature of the Prefect of Ariege. monitor the evacuation of these vehicles”, specify the services of the state today.
So of course we went there. And to be more precise, last Tuesday, the owner of this wild mini-cash register had just begun to restore order. “I’m busy drinking. I also work in the field of buying and selling vehicles. I keep it here to resell. It’s my job, but I had no place to put them, “explains Jean Faurel, manager of Rondot-Jean, which has been doing well lately. But he promised that from next week forty will start coming and going. “My professional trucks it will always be,” he warns. The town hall will be especially vigilant. “For several days there have been breaches in the communal land,” explains the town hall, which is considering filing a complaint. In any case, Jean Faurel must comply with the prefecture’s instructions until April 8.
Pollution and flooding risks
For his part, one of the patriarchs of the community is pleased to have the opportunity to discuss the resettlement project carried out by the community of communities of Portes d’Ariège-Pyrénées (CCPAP). Initially, the camp on the boulevard des Usines was a transit area. But ten families have settled there in the last thirty years.
“With all these cars, there is a risk of harmful products flowing into the river. Let’s imagine that Ariege comes and washes it all away… On the other hand, this area no longer fulfills its original role as a one-time reception. In addition, it is now in the red zone of the special flood response plan. So I made a deal with them: the broken place must be cleaned, and in return we start the relocation project. That’s why we hired an urban and social project management (MOUS) in September 2022”, explains Alain Rochet, president of the CCPAP and first deputy of the city, Alain Rochet, who is fully aware of the limitations of entrepreneurs like Jean Faurel. “It is important to manage housing and professional activities. In the resettlement project, the activity area will be provided, but not nearby,” the elected official continues.
A research firm was then commissioned to determine the expectations of each family. The results will be released this summer. However, we are moving towards building a small housing estate where some houses will be solid and others will be semi-solid. This will allow you to park a caravan there while enjoying a more traditional toilet and kitchen. “Yes, almost custom-made,” smiles Alain Rochet.
A sea snake from the Bares landfill
The issue of Ariege pollution is even more sensitive, because just a few hundred meters away, the old Bares landfill near Cailloup always throws its waste with every flood. Last year, 6.5 tons of waste was collected due to unfavorable weather conditions. City hall, aware of the problem for decades, is working on the issue with a mixed syndicate for the development of rivers and Dreal. But it seems that the garbage of the past has accumulated so much in the jar that removing it would be synonymous with a slide. The work is huge and can run into millions. Far beyond the means available to Pamiers.
