Filenews 19 January 2023 - by Ioanna Mantzipa
With the help of the Government and the Department of Environment, the construction of the new building of the Special School of Apostolos Loukas was approved, as well as the construction of new building facilities for the Special School of the Children's Infirmary "Red Cross", within the state forest of Polemidia.
The whole issue has long been of great concern to the Movement of Ecologists, organized groups and environmental organizations, as the new infrastructure falls within the forest core of the area, while it seems that the recommendations-observations of the Department of Forests about the project and the impact on forest land have been ignored. It is an oxymoron that for the construction of the new facilities, more than 50 trees in the surrounding area are to be cut down, which were approved by the Environmental Authority.
The works for the construction of the new facilities within the state forest of Polemidia have already begun and concern clearings (embankments and levelling) and cutting of bushes north of the school. The projects have an estimated cost of €12 million. The project falls 95% within a protection zone Da2 - free green spaces, parks, forest land -, with the total area of land cover from the constructions reaching 7,800 sq.m. Area of about 7,000 square metres, which will be erected the Special School of Apostolos Loukas falls under the National Forest Park of Polemidia, while part of the project of 14750 sq.m where the Special School of the Red Cross will be built is granted state land to the Ministry of Education.
The Movement of Ecologists and the various environmental organizations, despite the fact that they are in favour of the construction of new facilities that will meet the needs of the Special School "Apostolos Loukas", nevertheless consider it unacceptable that they fall within the forest park. In their letters to the Department of Environment, they asked for answers regarding the felling of trees, as well as information on the impact of the project on the environment, pointing out that with the new building facilities, a large part of the forest land will be destroyed. They also note that incorrect data has been given as to the trees that will be cut down, as there are more than 10 mature ficuses that will be cut down in the area, which are not mentioned in the study.
