Filenews 8 August 2022 - by Ioanna Mantzipa
A huge ecological disaster at the expense of one of the most important wetlands in the Eastern Mediterranean has been taking place recently. This is the destruction of Akrotiri Salt Lake, a lake which is under the umbrella of the Ramsar Convention and is considered as a protected area.
The large developments recorded in the last two years, north of Akrotiri Salt Lake, seem to disturb the water balance, with the result that instead of Alyki being drained during the summer months, it is currently soaked in fresh water that ends up even in the first houses of the community of Akrotiri.
The impact on the environment and the wetland seems to be enormous, while if immediate protection measures are not taken, the area is in danger of turning into a vast swamp. However, land development entrepreneurs will also have problems as there is the possibility that the soil due to the water is moving, so it is not excluded that we will see a second Pissouri recorded in the area.
"F" attempts to shed light on the concerns expressed recently by environmental organizations, the community councils of Akrotiri and Zakaki as well as the Movement of Ecologists.
The drains of the developments ended up in Alyki
The problem is identified, as mentioned to us by a competent person, from the time when the first works and constructions of the major developments began to take place, but also in the area next to the casino - resort. The excavations were done to a large extent and it was necessary to drain the water that came out towards the surface. Despite the fact that retention lakes were created where the water was channelled, due to the large volumes, there was an overflow resulting in the water ending up in Alyki at a much faster flow.
From the drains made in terms of the developments, the Akrotiri Salt Lake has been greatly affected. It is worth mentioning the fact that under normal conditions the Salt Lake during the month of September should have drained from the salt water, however this does not seem to be done since it is still covered by a large volume of water.
The problem, as identified by the residents of the community of Akrotiri, is even greater, as the groundwater and the muddy waters that Alyki receives due to the fact that it does not dry out, have reached the first houses of the community and erosion is observed.
The concern is further intensified as in the area next to the casino - resort will be built around another 500 houses while other large developments of more than 20 floors are planned. If measures are not taken to alleviate the problem with water, then another huge volume of fresh water will end up in Alyki and the neighbouring area.
The area, as the deputy president of the Ecologists' Movement, Alkis Papis, tells "F", is in danger of being wiped out and especially the Akrotiri Salt Lake. He also notes that the large volume of developments observed north and south of the area, will have a huge impact and severely alter the environment and the wetland.
N. Nikolaidis: Unprecedented differentiation
Asked to comment on the issue of the destruction of Akrotiri Salt Lake, the mayor of Limassol, Nikos Nikolaidis and president of the SALA, in his statements to "F", argued that there is an unprecedented diversification of the environment which is caused by the huge development of the area.
"This unprecedented intervention in the environment must be evaluated as the environment is inevitably at risk, as is the Salt Lake. We, as institutions and society, must take action after studying and assessing the whole situation. The State must immediately act in order to prevent some negative developments".
He did not fail to emphasize that there are several factors that affect the ecosystem and immediate solutions should be found soon as time is running out in a negative way.
Immediate elaboration of a Strategic Study
Asked to comment on the issue, he noted that a Strategic Environmental Impact Study should be prepared by the State, which will cumulatively assess all the effects of all the developments that are being constructed in the area or that are planned to take place. "Our position as the Green Movement is that there should be this Strategic Study. The competent authority that must proceed with this study is the State, and specifically the Department of Environment and the Department of Urban Planning. They should go to an independent firm and pay for their services," he noted.
He made it clear that the impact on the environment from a set of large responses is much greater. "For such large-scale projects there should be this Strategic Study, not only for the area of Zakaki and Akrotiri, but also for the large developments recorded on the Limassol coastal front." He added that it is imperative to listen to the environmental organizations that are actively working in the area and have been fighting for the protection of the wetland for many years.
Mr. Papis stressed that there is a great deterioration in Alyki due to the two large developments, casino and hotel, while the whole area will be altered as the bird fauna and the wetland will change, which is threatened with extinction in the next decade. Of the huge developments recorded in combination with the cutting-off of trees and the change of use of the area, huge areas of land from the area of Fasouri to Akrotiri are in danger of turning into a swamp, notes Mr. Papis.
The community councillor of the community of Akrotiri, Kostas Evripidou, spoke to "F" about the issue, who argued that a huge ecological crime is taking place. "The ecological system of Aliki has changed, while now the freshwater fish dominate. Also, the Australian reed on Lake Markia began to spread at a very fast pace," he said.
He also said that the aquifer overflowed, causing the water to reach the first houses, stressing that it is fresh water that also comes through the pipeline of the SBLA. "All this constitutes a great environmental disaster due to the 'favours' of the Government and the State."
Calls for intervention from the State
The issue of water management in the area of Akrotiri Salt Lake was raised on Thursday (04/08) at a meeting at the offices of the SALA, which was chaired by the president of the SALA and mayor of Limassol Nikos Nikolaidis, at the request of the president of the Akrotiri Community Council. The meeting was attended by representatives of the District Administration, the Department of Public Works, the Department of Environment, the British Bases, the Community Councils of Akrotiri and Zakaki, the Movement of Ecologists, the Management Committee of Mera Zakaki and the Limassol Winter Swimmers Club.
During the meeting, it was decided to ask the Ministry of Transport to immediately update the Study, including in it the present and future large developments in the area, which are expected to disturb the water balance of Alyki both at the stage of their construction and at the stage of their operation.
