John Pulis and his siblings woke up last week to find parts of their fields swept of soil after refusing to give up their Żabbar arable land for roadworks without knowing how much they would be compensated for it.
Unbeknown to them, Infrastructure Malta had sent workers to clear some 100 square metres – the size of two small one-bedroom apartments – to widen Triq Bieb is-Sultan.
The rubble wall bordering the fields was destroyed, as were prickly pear trees laden with fruit and almond trees, while the soil removed from their fields had disappeared.
The Pulis family, who come from a long line of farmers, immediately contacted the Lands Authority and were told the value of the site was still being worked out.