A small town, spread out on the shore of Lake Como, will have to pay a fine for a too noisy waterfall.
For thousands of years, it took shape, for hundreds of years it was a favorite destination for tourists, until one day this amazing fountain seemed “too noisy” to the locals. The authorities of the city of Bellano (Bellano), which is located on the shores of the famous Italian Lake Como, will be forced to pay a fine after local residents complained that lumps of water in a beautiful creation of nature fall "too noisy", which makes it difficult to watch TV with open windows. It is worth noting that the residents of Bellano blamed this not on Mother Nature, but on the city council, which decided to use this water as an energy source for a hydroelectric power station. An unusually wet summer, established on Lake Como and once described by William Wordsworth as “a treasure that the earth chose to keep,” only complicated the situation.
Dissatisfied locals turned to their worrying problem with ARPA, the regional environmental agency, which fined Bellano City Council € 650 for the noise emitted by the landmark. Now the city authorities are required to pay a fine within 30 calendar days.
However, Mayor Bellano flatly refused to do so, saying the situation was simply "absurd." The waterfall is a wonderful attraction, where tens of thousands of tourists come annually to explore the canyon on suspension bridges thrown between the mountains, he said. And this place is worth protecting, and not somehow limiting. “This is an absurd situation,” Roberto Santalucia, mayor of Bellano, commented on the situation. "The waterfall does not even function all year. Now, for example, water is turned on only on weekends, when there is a large concentration of tourists. And such a regime is observed almost all year, with the exception of summer. Therefore, there is almost no noise."
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Santalucia also noted that the power station located in the neighboring region of Lombardy is responsible for the use of water from the waterfall, so the mayor of Bellano suggested they make claims. "We are losing too much time, energy and money to resolve this problem.
Unsurprisingly, Italy has fallen into such a predicament - we have to deal with issues such as this. "
By the way, the opinions of the inhabitants of Bellano on the issue of noise were divided. Half of the population nevertheless complains about the unbearable conditions created by the proximity of the waterfall, while other people believe that the city is fabulously lucky that its residents have the opportunity to admire the amazingly beautiful natural phenomenon.
Bellano Gorge
The Bellano Gorge (Orrido di Bellano) was formed over a long fifteen million years by erosion of rocks on the rocks. Today this place is open to all comers throughout the year. Along a sheer cliff, over a terrifyingly high precipice, where a small rivulet roars and foams, centimeter by centimeter breaking its way, a narrow suspension path stretches. On cold and gloomy rocks, greenish moss gleams, and a stream of water forms whirlpools and small waterfalls.
Hours of Visits to the Bellano Gorge and Waterfall:
- April-May-June-September: daily from 10:00 to 13:00, from 14:30 to 19:00.
- July-August: daily from 10:00 to 19:00.
- March-October-November: holidays and holidays: from 10:00 to 12:30, from 12:30 to 14:30, from 14:00 to 17:00.
- January-February-December: check on the official website of the commune www.comune.bellano.lc.it
The cost of visiting: 3 euros.
