Filenews 24 June 2023 - by Natasha Christoforou
A large flow of sewage ending up in Larnaka salt lake was detected after a complaint received from citizens by the Green Movement, which requested an investigation by the Department of Environment, which in its response, referred to samples taken three years ago.
According to ecologists, the source of the wastewater remains unknown, but it starts from the Aradippou Free Trade Zone. As the deputy provincial secretary of the Movement, Lefteris Lambrou, told "F", on May 18 he informed the Department of Environment about this, sending photographic material and videos of the findings in the area.
"This sewage is discharged in a slow stream and follows a journey of kilometers to end up on the outskirts of the salt lake, near the Halan Sultan Tekke mosque. Throughout this course of the sewage stream, dense reeds have grown and various trees, such as eucalyptus trees, have dried up," according to Mr. Lambrou, who indicates in the letter that they have become barren and parcels that cross the stream.
The complaint, however, has not yet been investigated by the Department of Environment, as shown in the reply letter dated June 14 to the Green Movement. A letter that raises many questions as to the reflexes shown for complaints concerning the most important wetland of our country, protected by the Ramsar Convention and located in a Natura area.
As mentioned in the letter, the Department of Environment conducts regular inspections and more will follow, in order to determine whether there is an illegal dumping of waste that burdens the salt lake's habitat. It is also noted that in the last five years, about 70 inspections were carried out by the district office of the Department of Environment in Larnaka and that in 2020 samples were taken at 7 points in the city and province, including the salt lake, and fines of approximately €7,000 euros were issued out of court, while the criminal prosecution of one offender is pending.
The Department of Environment indicates that illegal discharges usually take place at night or in the early morning hours, "outside the hours of the Public Service, so as not to be noticed. As a result, it is difficult to determine whether there is a possible illegal discharge in the act by inspectors of the Department. It is noted that the testimony of a police officer regarding the red-handed finding of waste disposal by a private individual is equivalent to the testimony of an inspector of the Department and we will be able in this case to take measures to prosecute the offenders."
The Department of Environment also mentions that other actions were taken to alleviate the problem, such as the cleaning campaign in 2021, during which debris and other garbage from the surrounding salt lake were removed in cooperation with the Municipality of Larnaka.
Mr. Lambrou described the response of the Department of Environment as unacceptable, noting that if the Department of Environment "cannot cover an issue due to the working hours of the employees, it should contact the Police".
