The Initiative for the Rescue of Natural Coasts in an open letter to the Prefect of Famagusta George Chrysafinis protests against the illegal intervention within the Beach Protection Zone in the municipality of Paralimni.
"We are sorry to note that the Famagusta District Administration, which reports to the Ministry of Interior and is the competent authority for the protection and management of the province's beaches, tolerates the unacceptable situation in the area and literally turns a blind eye in the arbitrary and illegal interventions of the Municipality of Paralimni ", he states.
He adds that the situation has now reached the point of no return and that is why they call on him to take responsibility for the significant degradation, deterioration and destruction of the coastal zone, which leaves both the environment and the society of Paralimni, Famagusta and the whole of Cyprus.
"Arbitrary and illegal interventions within the Beach Protection Zone are now observed along the entire coastline in the Municipality of Paralimni. From the south to the north, the catastrophic interventions start from the area of Islands, immediately after Cape Greco, and reach the beaches of Da Costa, Fig Tree Bay, Crystal Springs, Siren and the area of Kappari (locations of Luma, Glytzia Nera and Armiropigado) ", it is reported.
It is added that on Friday, January 12, members of the Initiative for the Rescue of Natural Coasts were in the area of Kappari in the Municipality of Paralimni. At the beach of Skylon, it is reported, which has been created by previous illegal interventions, a dirt road has been built, which connects the northern part of the beach with the beach of Scouts.
It is alleged that intervention in the estuary of a public river and the "construction" of a road and a culvert is a danger to the safety of passers-by and visitors in the area of Kappari. They accuse the Municipality of Paralimni of arrogance and impunity that prevails in the province of Famagusta.
"The coastline is part of our ecological communities and our natural heritage. "Images with excavators and trucks carrying out illegal coastal rockfalls and the arbitrary shaping of beaches, with the aim of providing organized bathing services, have now become symbols of inadequate protection and management of beaches in the Municipality of Paralimni, especially the coastline in the province." .
It is also reported that the illegal actions carried out by the Municipality of Paralimni and the systematic tolerance shown by the Famagusta District Administration of the Ministry of Interior offend the public sense of law and shake the prestige and credibility of the competent authorities.
It is added that in none of the arbitrary, irregular and illegal interventions carried out within the Beach Protection Zone and reported by various interested parties (co-competent authorities, environmental organizations and / or ordinary citizens) no strict measures were taken and no deterrent penalties were imposed. by the Famagusta District Administration and the Ministry of Interior.
The District Administration of Famagusta and the Ministry of Interior are called upon to immediately proceed with all the legal procedures for the implementation of the Law on the Protection of the Beach (KEF.59).
"We believe that an immediate recording and overall evaluation of all arbitrary and illegal interventions that have taken place in the last five years along the coastline of the Municipality of Paralimni should be carried out, to prepare a specialized coastal engineering study and a comprehensive environmental impact assessment study. the direct as well as the cumulative / cumulative effects of the arbitrary and illegal interventions within the Beach Protection Zone, in order to introduce measures for the restoration of the environmental damage and to ensure the environmental compliance of the Municipality of Paralimni ", the announcement concludes.
Source: KYPE