Filenews 5 October 2021 - by Dora Christodoulou
The first decibelometers, the specialized noise measuring machines, with which the Municipality of Pafos was recently equipped in order to combat noise pollution in the city, are getting to work from today in the commercial centre of the city. Already, the Mayor of Pafos, Phaedon Phaedonos and the Police Director of Pafos, Nikos Tsappis, made today in the central Kennedy Square joint statements on the confrontation of noise pollution and the start of inspections with the use of new decibelometers received by the Municipality. The members of the Municipality's staff who were trained for the use of these machines were present and the operation of the sound measuring instruments was presented.
These machines make their appearance in the renovated shopping centre, although it was initially considered certain that they would be used mainly in the tourist area of Kato Pafos. Due to the pandemic and the limited, until recently, arrival of tourist flow, however, the situation in the tourist area is hardly reminiscent of the hubbub of past years. On the contrary, the situation in the new hangouts of the centre of Pafos is characterized in the evenings as "out of control" even by members of the City Council, with residents and passers-by talking about unacceptable practices that make up an unprecedented regime of lawlessness.
This machine will be used to control the volume of music emitted by recreation centres, but also in other cases of noise pollution, in an effort for a commercial activity without extremes that creates bad images of Paphos as a tourist destination.
Announcing the acquisition of the first "decibelometer" about three months ago, the Mayor of Pafos, Phaedon Phaedonos, spoke of the actions of the local authority that constantly aim at orderliness and respect for visitors and residents of the city. He also announced that the municipal authority will soon procure more "decibelometers", in order for the controls to be as dense and extensive as possible.
This machine is contained in a suitcase which is according to the competent authorities easily transportable and easy to use, so they estimate that the results will soon be immediate in the direction of improving the quality of life in crowded and commercial areas of Paphos.
Meanwhile, in relation to the issue that arose in the operation of recreation centres in Paphos, which was suspended due to the lack of possession of a music license, the Municipal Team of AKEL in its announcement invites the Mayor and the City Council to intervene in order to address the situation. The party's announcement points out that the majority of recreation centres hold a license to operate from the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, but also the rest of the relevant permits issued by the Local Authority.
"In addition, the Municipality of Pafos should proceed to the simplification and acceleration of the procedures for issuing music licenses, a development that will greatly help the owners of recreation centres, who are being tested in recent years by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic," AKEL says. "At this point we record that we do not welcome illegality or the issuing of permits without fulfilling the necessary conditions, but the acceleration of procedures."
AKEL would like to take this opportunity to remind you that it played a leading role in the modernization of the legislation in relation to the issuance of sound licenses and the operating licenses of premises, for the benefit of small and medium-sized enterprises in the sector.
