HUNDREDS of tractors blocked the entrance to Murcia city last night and today in a massive protest over water supply issues in the Mar Menor area.
They had been calling for a crisis meeting with regional agricultural minister Antonio Sánchez Solís and, when this was not forthcoming, took drastic action.
Various farming unions, companies – such as the international fruit and vegetable firm Proexport – trade associations such as COAG and UPA, cooperatives, irrigation communities, fishermen's societies, residents' associations and the environmental campaign groups Pacto por el Mar Menor and Ecologists in Action were behind the unprecedented demonstration, in which between 200 and 300 tractors in a slow-moving crocodile brought city traffic to a standstill.
After a whole night and Thursday morning's rush hour plunged into chaos and gridlock, Sánchez Solís finally agreed to meet with the farming communities.
They had spoken to him at noon on Wednesday and at 22.00 that same night, but reached a stalemate.
The river Segura Hydrographic Confederation – which covers water courses and supply in the Cartagena district – stopped nitrates from farm fertilisers from leaking into the Mar Menor nine months ago after the sea went green, but no effort has been made, according to farmers, to regenerate this inland sea and salt water levels in underground water pockets used for irrigation are out of balance.
The protest affected the Gran Vía – Murcia city's main drag – as well as the Ronda de Levante ringroad, the Plaza Circular, the Avenida de la Constitución, the Avenida Teniente Flomesta and the Avenida Alfonso X El Sabio.
Markets on the Avenida de la Fama an the Avenida Santa María de Gracia were inaccessible, and slow-moving tractors kept the Ronda Sur, or southern ringroad, and C/ San Antón gridlocked.
Buses and trams were blocked and had to make last-minute route changes.
