«Before we didn’t want to believe it, and yet, now, we are convinced. Let’s be annoying. That’s the point. Our presence all year round, including winter, here in Montespluga, at 1,908 meters above sea level, is not welcome due to the fact that it involves a series of tasks including the management of the access road to the town. Which, this year, thanks to the heavy snowfalls of the last few months, has been closed more than opened although, in our opinion, sometimes inappropriately”.
This is said by Giulio Solferino, 46 years old, originally from the province of Varese, a geologist, who since October last year has chosen to live with his sister Giovanna in Montespluga also to escape the torment of pollen allergies.
«The place is exceptional – assures Solferino -, but there have been access problems this winter and also in recent days that are truly insurmountable and unjustifiable, in our opinion, because on Tuesday, when my sister and I took the car to go down to Madesimo for to do some shopping, the route was almost perfect. So much so that we arrived safely as far as Teggiate, except for a few stretches where a layer of snow had accumulated on the road brought by the wind, only to find ourselves with the barrier closed and having to turn around. Why? And even more so, why always close without warning? When we left there was an indication of closure from 6pm to 8am, which is understandable because Anas is expected to take these precautions at night, but in broad daylight, with the road clean, why?
Anas’s choices regarding the opening and closing of the road are not always understandable to Solferino and also to a good part of the other people stationed in Montespluga these days, around twenty, and, above all, he complains about a lack of communication to the regard. «We have our own chat, in which, kindly, whoever is in charge of cleaning the street, spontaneously, informs us of the closures – says Solferino -, but it would not be required, and, on Tuesday, having had my phone out, I did not know about the It closed during the day, so we went down sure to find it open. Instead… At this point, they won. We are forced not to go up to higher altitudes in the next winters, at least until those avalanche and wind protections are put in place that the mountain community, very appropriately, intends to create. It will take at least three years, however, to complete this intervention and, until then, I really don’t think we will return in winter. We don’t intend to cause any inconvenience to anyone.”
The Spluga state road 36 has reopened to traffic regularly, and, when contacted by us, Anas, made it known that he had kept the road closed on Tuesday due to the storm. «We act on the recommendation of the Lombardy Region snow specialist who tells us the dangerous situations – they told us from Anas -. On that stretch of road there was enough wind to recommend closing it and we did this. We understand the residents’ reasons, of course, but it is a question of transit safety. As regards communication – they conclude – Anas is available to speak with the Municipalities to warn them of the closures, so that they can promptly pass the information on to citizens”.
