According to the plans of two entrepreneurs, the gravel conveyor belt of the Loja bluestone factory would have stretched approximately 1.2 kilometers across the Danube. Why this major project should not be carried out now.
For months, a true mega project kept the residents of the Nibelungengau in the Melk district in suspense. The Hartsteinwek Loja planned to work with the building materials giant Bernegger to build a gravel conveyor belt more than a kilometer long from the banks of the Danube near Persenbieg across the river to Krummnußbaum – the “Krone” reported.
Resistance becomes more difficult
As part of the river crossing, a multi-track shunting yard with meter-high concrete silos would have been built on the Krummnußbaum side. What made protests against the project more difficult was that if it were implemented, it would fall under the jurisdiction of mining legislation.
Protests about dust and noise
Soon after the possible concrete implementation of the project became known, resistance arose in the region. Since the Loja company’s quarry has been expanding for years, activists of the citizens’ initiative Pro Nibelungengau, led by former State Councilor and State Secretary Christa Kranzl, report: “Dust and noise from the explosions always cause problems on both sides of the border. Danube.”
Decision at the negotiating table
Ultimately, however, there may have been a degree of skepticism against the assembly line project at the state level. After a final conversation between State Vice President Stephan Pernkopf and National Councilor Georg Strasser with Loja owner Alexander Habsburg and Kurt Bernegger, there was now good news for the residents: “It is now clear that the Danube conveyor belt will not happen!”
Long procedures
Habsburg specified: “We withdraw the project.” Too many open points, the resistance in the region and the efforts of Mayor Bernhard Kerndler against the project would have led to “the expectation of a difficult and lengthy approval process.” Apparently the two entrepreneurs did not want that. Habsburg concludes: “As an employer and company, we want to be a good partner for the entire region. We’ve been doing it this way for generations. This is how it should be in the future.”
Big relief
Pernkopf thanked the entrepreneurs for putting the well-being of the region first. And local boss Kerndler spoke of a “day of relief” after the decision against the assembly line.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
