Filenews 30 July 2024 - by Angelos Nicolaou
The Department of Environment is planning a nationwide campaign to clean up the areas where there is a systematic dumping of garbage, in cooperation with all stakeholders and especially municipalities and communities.
In the first stage, particular emphasis will be placed on cleaning up areas of increased fire risk, i.e. those adjacent to a forest or near remote communities.
A significant number of requests have been made by local authorities to participate in the clean-up campaign (12 municipalities and 92 communities) and all relevant information on the number, location, type and quantities of waste from illegal sites is included.
The Department of Environment evaluated all requests submitted so far by local authorities for areas and points that need immediate cleaning due to increased risk of fires and proceeded to prioritize them in the following way: Natura 2000 areas, forest areas, state land parcels, Turkish Cypriot land parcels and private plots.
Given the large number of requests, it is appropriate to initially grant a grant for the cleaning of areas located within Natura 2000 sites, forest areas, state and Turkish Cypriot plots. Regarding requests for cleaning private plots, sponsorship will be given for their cleaning only in areas that are part of a Natura 2000 network area or that are adjacent to, or adjacent to, a forest area and/or a green spot and/or watercourses.
The Department of Environment has prepared a relevant table listing per district the areas that need cleaning (as a priority) and the amount of subsidy per municipality and community.
In the first phase, a proposal is made to provide sponsorship to 12 municipalities and 92 communities for the cleaning of 156 points, with a total grant amount amounting to €700,000. Given that with the granting of the above amount there will be available credits of €800,000 and because relevant requests for sponsorship are still being submitted by municipalities and communities, these new requests will be evaluated and a new proposal will be submitted as a second phase for sponsorship until all our available credits are exhausted. The Department of Environment has set the amount of €30,000 as a ceiling in order to meet the requests of all authorities that met the criteria set.
It is underlined that it will be determined as a condition for the provision of sponsorship to local authorities that after the cleaning of the areas and points and for the payment of the amount, they will have to inform the Department of Environment in writing of the measures they will take to end illegal discharges within their administrative boundaries. In addition, in order to strengthen the competence of municipalities and communities to combat illegal waste discharges, they will be asked to immediately nominate persons who will be appointed as inspectors, based on the current legislation on waste. The persons who will be appointed as inspectors will receive training and information from the Department of Environment.
