Muhos has no building inspectors as Google project draws scrutiny

Muhos currently has no building inspectors, and the municipality of Tyrnävä is temporarily handling its building control, Yle reports.

Jaakko Pellikka, chair of Muhos’s municipal committee, told Yle that the municipality’s chief building inspector, Jultuz Änwär, began a leave of absence on Wednesday. Pellikka said he could not confirm the reason, but that Änwär had initiated the leave. Helsingin Sanomat first reported the news.

The other building inspector in Muhos, Eero Airaksinen, is on sick leave.

The staffing situation comes as Google’s data centre project in Muhos has drawn attention. Änwär told Yle on Tuesday that he feared his employment could end, and said he was concerned that giving the interview could lead to his dismissal.

Airaksinen told Helsingin Sanomat last week that he had faced pressure after Google began earthworks for the data centre without a permit while the environmental impact assessment procedure was still under way. The Permits and Supervisory Agency urged Google to stop work that altered the environment immediately.