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Row over smell from lagoon
The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture says it’s carefully considering whether or not to drain a stinking lagoon on a protected beach in the north of the Island.
The naturally-formed lagoon at Smeale is a haven for birdlife in the Area of Special Scientific Interest – but it’s sparked complaints from people living nearby about the smell of rotting seaweed.
DEFA Minister Richard Ronan says his department would have to give permission for the Department of Infrastructure to drain it on behalf of the Manx Utilities Authority.
But Mr Ronan says tests to see whether the smell is caused by traces of sewage haven’t found anything amiss: