Filenews 16 September 2021 - byAngelos Nikolaou
The security and monitoring of the major dams of Cyprus will be handed over to foreign experts.
In fact, the Ministry of Agriculture deems it imperative to amend the existing legislation so that qualified engineers who have not been registered with the ETEK can assume this role. The haste is due to the fact that the largest number of dams have already covered half their useful life and need systematic monitoring and evaluation of their safety.
It is noted that now in the Water Development Department there are no experienced engineers for proper and systematic monitoring of dams with frequent inspections. Although it seems that the leadership of etek agrees with the whole philosophy, there are people who are concerned that the control of the dams will not be given to people who are not related to the subject, since the competent body will not have the ability to evaluate and license them.
It is, however, considered important to ensure the safe operation of dams since they are constructed near residential areas, including large urban centres. Furthermore, the fact that Cyprus is located in an earthquake zone increases the risk of dams.
It should be noted that qualified engineers outside ETEK will undertake the supervision, design and construction, as well as inspection of large elevated reservoirs. This provides for a proposed bill that amends the Unified Water Management Law. The need for amendment arose, as this wording of the law does not allow the inclusion in the list of qualified civil engineers, who are active in other countries and are not members of the ETEK, but could provide their services to the TDY.
With the amendment of the law, the aim is to make the registration process in the list of qualified civil engineers more flexible and effective, so as to allow the registration of any person who is properly licensed, in accordance with the Scientific Technical Chamber of Cyprus Law, to practice the profession or provide services in the field of civil engineering.
The Ministry of Agriculture stresses that the need for this amendment is imperative and urgent, while it is noted that the Bill has been discussed and agreed with the ETEK and has received the necessary legislative technical control by the Legal Service.
