“I am disheartened because my family and I have been experiencing extreme hardship for six years, but I am not giving up and I want those responsible to intervene once and for all.”
This story is told to us by a citizen of S. Teresa di Riva, exasperated by an unlivable sanitation situation that continues to persist in the apartment next to his, known throughout the neighborhood.
«The owner passed away about six years ago – he explains – there are no heirs and no one has claimed the apartment: so the people who were with the owner took it over, remaining inside with a dozen cats, two medium-large dogs and several birds. The general situation has always been critical, with urine and feces left in the sun on the balcony and terrace adjacent to my home, as well as bedding and feed, but it became unsustainable in early August, when the Municipality interrupted the water supply probably because no one was paying the bill anymore. From then on everything worsened, also because without water the general hygienic situation of the accommodation worsened and the couple began to recover water with tanks, but not every day”.
Nauseating smells at all hours of the day and night began to make the lives of the neighbors hellish and so the head of the family went to the Town Hall several times to speak with the municipal administrators, but without obtaining results.
Until he reported the matter formally, via certified e-mail and registered letter, to the Asp and the Municipality, also attaching photographs of the locations. «After this action, a joint inspection was carried out by ASP and local police – says the citizen – and that morning, a few hours before, I heard the neighbors say that they had to hurry because the controls were arriving.
Once the inspection was completed, the staff who attended told me that they found everything washed and clean. This left me perplexed, I don’t understand how it is possible that they were notified, but shortly after the smells came back very strong, we can’t keep the doors open and we were also threatened by the man who lives in the accommodation and, having two small girls, I filed a complaint with the police.”
There is a lot of disappointment for having sought help from the authorities without receiving concrete answers: «The mayor is the highest local health authority and we made the necessary reports, but the result was a failure – he comments bitterly – and I have no longer received any answers from the Municipality. It is not a problem that can be left to us nearby, but it must be taken into consideration and cannot be forgotten.
Everyone seems to have washed their hands of it. The Veterinary Service should also intervene, given the number of animals locked up in confined spaces without going out, as well as the Social Services due to the state in which this couple lives and the woman’s constant screaming. I invite those responsible to act.”
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