The canal must be built. In Sassari, Mayor Giuseppe Mascia's rejection of the hydrogeological risk mitigation project in the Fosso della Noce Valley has sparked opposition, from the Brothers of Italy to Sardinia party to the Centro 20Venti movement. However, what stands out is the intervention of those who, in the previous Campus administration, had championed the initiative, securing €5 million in funding for the construction site. Gianfranco Meazza, former councilor for Infrastructure, emphasizes the area's classification as Hi4, the highest level of flood risk. A potential red alert, drawn up by the Sardinia Region's Hydrogeological Planning Plan.
"In the event of heavy rain," Meazza stated, "this area could flood rapidly and violently, with water levels theoretically estimated to reach street level." This would rise more than ten meters above the two embankments on Viale Trento and Viale Trieste, which, as is well known, could act as a "stopper" for the feared flood. Because the appearance of the pair of embankments at the time, the former council member continues, "built without adequate crossing structures—they effectively blocked the natural flow of water." The Campus executive's project had sparked widespread controversy, with demonstrations and petitions being collected. According to Meazza, it had offered "a distorted image of the project."
"The canal," he specifies, "will occupy a maximum of 10-15% of the valley's surface. The trees to be removed are a few dozen, not hundreds. The microclimate of the valley floor will not undergo significant changes. The green lung will remain as it is." The lawyer's conclusion echoes the views expressed by the mayor and the deputy mayor, as well as the Environment Councilor, Pierluigi Salis. Both spoke about the future Urban Linear Park and the vision of flood risk mitigation as, they stated, "the tool through which the preconditions are created to provide a development opportunity for a given area."
Gianfranco Meazza replies: " Almost three years after taking office, the question is simple and legitimate: what is the alternative project, with what specific hydraulic techniques, what timetable, what guarantees of certified effectiveness according to PAI regulations? Until this answer arrives, the safety of the people of Sassari will rest on the hope that the seasons will be mild."
