Filenews 21 July 2021 - by Angelos Nikolaou
The Department of the Environment has worked to arrange the collection of waste that will result from the houses that have been burned, in a place that will be agreed with each community and will supervise the transfer of these materials to licensed units. The cost of managing this waste will be covered by the State.
Speaking to "F", the Director of the Department of the Environment, Costas Hatzipanagiotou, reported that the Department has undertaken all coordination and has been in contact with the 10 affected communities, five in the province of Larnaca (Oras, Agios Vavatsinias, Melines, Odos, Vavatzinias) and five in the province of Limassol (Arakapas, Eptagonia, Sykopetra, Acapnos and Dieronas) in order to indicate a space per community in which the waste will be collected from the homes of citizens.
By the end of July, he said, only waste from the homes is expected to be transported. Next, he said, the Environment Department will assess the cost and with the appropriate funds the waste will be transferred to integrated plants for management.
By letter to the Prefect of Limassol, the Prefect of Larnaca and the President of the Union of Communities, the Director of the Department of the Environment informs them of the decision of the Council of Ministers. 7 July 2021 for the collection and disposal of waste resulting from the fire in the mountain communities of Limassol and Larnaca on 3 July.
In particular, it points out that in view of the cleaning and restoration work of the fire-affected areas, the Director of the Department of the Environment, by community, should indicate to the areas where the waste collected from the cleaning of the fire-affected areas will be collected.
Furthermore, the various streams of waste should be placed separately in these areas in order to promote their recycling as far as possible.
Such waste should be transported by certificate holders for the collection and transfer of waste to licensed waste management facilities.
It should be noted that priority should be given to promotion to licensed waste management facilities, to waste likely to contain hazardous substances which may have an impact on the environment and public health (e.g. electrical appliances, vehicles, etc.).
It should be noted that more than 100 premises were affected by the devastating fire.
In addition to the actions of the Department of the Environment, for the wider support of the region, the Department of Water Development is also taking action, in cooperation with the Provincial Administrations of Larnaca and Limassol. Actions are taken in two directions. Firstly, they will take immediate measures to restore the damaged irrigation infrastructure, and secondly they will make suggestions and actions for the immediate implementation of anti-corrosion/flood defence projects.
Tree logging only with permission
Regarding the reforestation of burned areas in Arakapas, the Department of Forests warns that the felling of trees, regardless of species, that grow on state land, is done only with written permission from the Director. It is stressed that logging in a state forest as well as the possession and transport of timber without the permission of the Director of the Department of Forests is an offence. As the Department states, for the logging of privately owned forest trees as well as other species, which grow on private land, a written logging permit is required from the Director of the Department of Forests. For this purpose, an application form shall be submitted to the Forest Region of the land. In this case applications may be submitted to the Forest Station of the Chapel (tel. 25636010) for the province of Limassol and to the Forest Station of Lythrodonda (tel. 22542944/70) for the province of Larnaca.
The Department of Forestry states that a logging permit is not required for the cutting of an olive tree, carob, eucalyptus, mulberry and pseudo-muria tree, when it is proven that pruning or cutting of the top is done in the context of care or renewal of the tree. With regard to tree planting and reforestation, it is noted that tree plantings in public places within communities will be done by the local authorities with the help and cooperation of the Department of Forests. Sponsorships and volunteer assistance will be used. Plantings in trees will take place in collaboration with the Department of Public Works, Supervisors, Local Authorities and the Department of Forests. Sponsorships and volunteer assistance will again be used. Finally, it is added that the reforestation of state land will be planned and implemented by the Department of Forests while for private land an initiative can be developed by the owners. If necessary, sponsorships and volunteer assistance will be used in this case.
