A battle over bells has broken
out in an Italian village after the mayor issued an ultimatum to
the parish priest - cool down the clamour from his church bells
or else.
Mayor Marcello Moraldo of Triora, a village not far from
the French border on the Italian Riviera, initially ordered
parish priest Father Antonio Robu to tone down the volume on his
church bells.
Otherwise, the mayor warned, the local government would ban
the ringing of bells entirely between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
He also threatened to call in the regional environmental
protection agency, Arpal, to issue fines for if the bells were
found to exceed acceptable noise levels.
The priest seemed taken aback by the attack on his joyous
noise and responded with a threat of his own: any noisy summer
rallies or events could trigger a reciprocal complaint to Arpal.
"If the mayor issues an order, we will adjust," said Robu.
"But then it will also be my concern, in the summer, to
call Arpal when demonstrations in the community exceed the noise
limits allowed".
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
