BY CIARAN WOODS
A BURNDENNETT landowner has hit out at those responsible after concrete was dumped along a roadside in an area of outstanding natural beauty.
The concrete, which was dumped along the Lisdiven Road last Thursday or Friday, has created a flowing grey pathway from the roadside down a bank, decimating the spray of bluebells which are currently in full bloom.
According to the landowner, this is not the first time that dumping and fly-tipping has occurred along the road, but this is the first occasion when it has been of an industrial nature.
He said, "It's clearly a concrete lorry which has emptied the remainder of its load here at the end of the day or whatever. No-one else could have done it, it had to be a lorry and those responsible must be taken to account for it.
"I've been in contact with the council and they're seeing what can be done about it. This is an area of outstanding natural beauty and it's simply being destroyed."
The landowner, who did not wish to be identified, revealed that illegal dumping is an ongoing problem on the road, and has expressed his grave concern that the situation has fallen to a new low.
"About 12 months ago there was a lot of waste dumped a short distance on up the road. I reported it to the council and they told me that there was very little they could do, unless I could get names and addresses.
"So, myself and my son took a full trailer load of rubbish out of it, and as part of it we found a pile of letters with names and addresses, all from Strabane. We passed it onto the council, who said that they had given it to the Environmental and Heritage Service in Belfast, but that's the last I heard of it. In the past there's also been oil drums dumped near to a stream.
"If it was a lorry, then it happened during business hours and hopefully if anyone caught them doing it then they'll report it. These lorries all have distinct colour schemes, so hopefully somebody saw something.
"We're taking samples of the concrete to be analysed, because apparently the tests they do can compare it to what's produced locally, and who by, so that whoever is responsible can be taken up for this reckless action. It's not acceptable and it can't be allowed to happen," he concluded.
