The tender evaluation process for flying firefighting vehicles is "on schedule", the Minister of Agriculture, Maria Panagiotou, said today. He also announced that on Sunday the two Jordanian helicopters that arrived in Cyprus on Easter Sunday were put on operational alert.
Since the first fire we had to deal with in April, we have recognized that we have this problem of availability of aircraft because of the legal procedures we follow, said the Minister in her statements in the context of an event organized by the Department of Forests on the occasion of the start of the Week of Protection of Forests.
Ms. Panagiotou stated that "we cannot escape beyond the legal procedures" which, as she said, are ongoing. At the moment, he continued, we are in the evaluation of those who have made an offer "so far we are within the schedule we said".
At the exact same time, he said, in order to overcome this gap that had been created, we started a contact together with other neighboring countries and not and the result of these contacts was the presence of the two Jordanian helicopters on the island with their 18-member crew. Let me remind you, he said, that they came on Easter Sunday and in seven days, i.e. yesterday, they were put on operational readiness.
At the same time, continued the Minister, we are again in contact with the neighboring countries as well as with others in case it is deemed necessary to make a further call.
"Because we have recognized that there is this problem with aircraft I have gone ahead and asked my colleagues that one of the two aircraft that the National Guard, the Police and the British Bases have is available" should the need arise, should it arise fire, with a response time of around 30 minutes, added the Minister.
He clarified that the response time of the Forestry Department's aircraft is around 12 minutes, noting that it is one of the best times we have on average at EU level.
Ms. Panagiotou pointed out that flying vehicles are a part of firefighting. "Because we knew there would be this whole problem with the aircraft with the legal procedures we follow and the time we have to go through, we proceeded to strengthen the ground forces of the Forestry Department, we have taken equipment around 5,5 million", he added .
He also said that this year the staff has been put on full alert a month earlier, from April and not from May as it was in previous years, having in eight months instead of six the forest firefighters together with the forest officials who work together with the other co-authors services to face a difficult Summer ahead of us.
He advised that we should all be careful because "whatever means we have will never be enough if we don't do the obvious thing, do whatever it takes to not cause a fire."
Asked about the low capacity of the dams, the Minister of Agriculture said that the scenario and the evaluation of the quantities we have by the relevant committee had started earlier this year.
He noted that "we have informed our farmers in good time that we will have to go on average about 33% less, so they know how to plan their production."
Regarding the water supply to households, Mrs. Panagiotou stated that the first priority is for the citizens to have drinking water "so by making full use of the desalination units, the Water Development Department estimates that it will be able to provide water to the citizens without interruption ».
"We have had a very difficult Winter, the water in the dams is at low flows, below 50% so we have to be frugal and not waste," he advised.
Asked about the administrative investigation for any responsibilities in the Akamas projects, Mrs. Panagiotou said that actions will be taken as soon as possible. "It has been in my hands since Friday and I am reading it," he concluded.
Source: KYPE
