By Anthony O. Miller
WHILE the Limassol bomb squad searched the Nemitsas foundry for explosives yesterday, the Labour Department was preparing to ask the Attorney-general to file criminal charges against the foundry, and to ask the court to halt its smoke emissions.
“We are taking the same action” against Nemitsas as Labour Minister Andreas Moushiouttas asked Attorney-general Alecos Markides to take against the Marios & Eleni foundry in Ergates, Labour Department Director Sotiris Sotiriou said yesterday.
Markides told the Cyprus Mail that yesterday he filed criminal charges against the Ergates foundry for breaching its permit’s terms by producing smoke that contains more particulate matter than allowed by law.
Markides said he would ask the court today to ask the foundry to cease those operations that produce that smoke pending the outcome of the criminal case.
“We are preparing the relevant documents (on Nemitsas) to send to Markides,” Sotiriou said. Labour Ministry tests at the foundry, begun last week, showed “the emission concentration is higher than we specified in the permit — 300 milligrams of dust emission per cubic metre of air coming out of the stacks.”
The tests showed Nemitsas smoke contained “384 milligrams” of particulate per cubic metre of air, “25 per cent higher” than allowed, Sotiriou said, adding the documents would be completed and handed to Markides “as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, the Limassol bomb squad did not find any explosives at the Nemitsas foundry yesterday, police and Nemitsas Managing Director Kikis Petevis confirmed late yesterday.
Petevis declined to offer an opinion as to who might have phoned in the bomb threat to Limassol police, but specifically steered away from suggesting it might have been any members of two local groups of citizens opposed to the foundry’s operation.
“I don’t know who did it,” Petevis said. “Somebody irresponsible… I would like to think they (the opposition groups) are serious people and wouldn’t do it. … But it would be irresponsible on my behalf to say it was him, or that person.”
The bomb threat “didn’t come to us. It was a phone call” to Limassol police that (Inspector) Mr. Lazarus Georgiou, the police officer in charge of Limassol today, received,” Petevis said. “They said that two bombs would explode at 4pm in our plant.”
Georgiou confirmed the bomb threat’s authenticity, noting it came in around 3pm on the 199 emergency phone number, and was made by a male of unknown identity.
“I believe that it is false,” Georgiou said, “because some people around the factory want them to close.” Georgiou said no bomb or other explosive device was found in the foundry.
As the police searched the foundry, Petevis said none of the employees or managers was evacuating the site. “The board of directors of the company has just had a meeting, and we’ve decided we are staying in. No employee wants to leave,” he said.
“We’re taking it seriously. But on the other hand, we are not going to allow them to achieve what they want in an indirect manner — whoever that may be. The factory remains open, irrespective of what happens.” If the bomb threat is the real thing, “then we will die here,” Petevis said, “and maybe the pollution will cease to exist.”
Bernadette Charalambous, who is involved with the two residents groups opposed to the foundry’s smoke pollution, said the bomb threat did “absolutely not” come from any of the members of the local residents groups opposed to Nemitsas’ smoke pollution.
“We are parents and residents. Our concern is for the health and safety of the people. It’s ludicrous to imply that we would go to such measures. It has absolutely nothing to do with any of us,” she said.
Despite the imminent court filing against Nemitsas, Charalambous said: “Personally, I’m very angry that it was not done a long time ago. I’m still concerned” for the health of the children, and all the residents, she said.
“I believe my baby’s health has suffered because of this. We can’t prove anything. My paediatrician says it certainly contributed towards” her son’s chronic breathing problems, she said.
Court action or not, “we will be taking action” in the future against the foundry, she said. “We’re very angry that the government has let this drag on for so long.”
