EXASPERATED parents of a Limassol primary school have decided to take matters into their own hands and will not be sending their children to school tomorrow, a parents’ association spokesman said yesterday.
Kyriacos Valanides was referring to the Chiflikoudia primary school in Limassol that has been plagued by the presence of the Nemitsas foundry for several years now.
The problem lies in the fact that the foundry releases chemical emissions into the atmosphere that have made children in the area physically sick.
“This our way of showing our disgust towards those responsible for failing to act on our behalf,” he said.
Valanides described the government’s attitude towards the matter as “criminal indifference,” since nothing had ever been done to improve “an unbearable situation”.
“We are suffering daily,” he said. “Last week the children had to have lessons wearing face masks because they could not cope with the hideous stench coming from the foundry.
“Health Minister Frixos Savvides put the overpowering odour down to the use of the chemical dimethylene at the plant,” he said. But, he pointed out; dimethylene was a chemical that posed serious health hazards to anyone who inhaled it, from irritated eyes and skin to respiratory problems.
Despite the fact that studies had been carried out assessing the emission levels in the atmosphere and promises made to reduce them, absolutely nothing has been done to remedy the situation, he said.
“We have showed patience, understanding and respect towards all those involved,” said Valanides. “Unfortunately, the same respect has not been extended to us, and our basic human right to a healthy, clean environment has been repeatedly violated.” He said that instead of getting things done, the Health Ministry was sacrificing residents’ health, particularly children’s health, in favour of inexcusable explanations of paperwork, extensions and time-consuming procedures.
Valanides said the school’s parents’ association had decided to go on strike tomorrow, alongside other residents in the area, in an effort to show that they mean business.
“As things stand today,” he said, “we have no choice but to take drastic measures to ensure that we, and our children, have a healthy environment to work and be educated in.”
Although the children will not be going to school, the residents have planned to gather outside the school grounds for an hour, between 7.30am and 8.30am, in a peaceful demonstration.
If the government does not respond by adopting efficient measures to help the situation by Monday, however, the school will remain closed indefinitely.
“If a solution to the foundry is not found, parents have expressed the desire to keep their children out of that school in September as well. They would rather see their children uneducated and healthy, rather than the reverse,” he said.
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