Mammari kicks up a stink

RESIDENTS of the village of Mammari just outside Nicosia were up in arms yesterday protesting against a slaughterhouse just outside the community, which is leaking a foul stench throughout the village.

According to community representatives, the slaughterhouse, which belongs to the Pipis company, is releasing a stench for two to three hours a day, which is being blown into the village by easterly winds.

Mammari Mukhtar Nicos Kotziapashis, told the Cyprus Mail: “All the people in the village have signed a petition stressing our complaints against the running of slaughterhouse. Seeing as the government is not doing anything to tackle the problem, we decided to hold a demonstration and make our feelings known.”

“All it takes is five minutes for the smell to enter your house and the stench stays there. We are beginning to worry about our health down here because a couple of people have been taken ill and we are still trying to establish if it is the smell which is causing this.”
One resident of Mammari told the Cyprus Mail, “I remember one day the stench was so foul that I had to keep all my windows closed despite the really hot weather.”
In a press announcement, The Cyprus Green Party yesterday gave their backing to the residents of Mammari.

The announcement added that the Greens were cautiously waiting for the relevant officials to end the use of the draining equipment until new filters were introduced. The party also asked where the slaughter remains were disposed of and who would be monitoring these “dangerous and illegal acts according to European Unions laws”.

Senior Agricultural Officer Christakis Papayiannis yesterday admitted there was a problem, but said it was not as bad as residents were claiming.

“The council of Mammari have come to us with various problems they have in the area, including that of the slaughterhouse. We have sent our medical experts there, even on night visits, and have concluded that there is a problem but not to the extent at which they are complaining. However, we are continuing our investigation of the slaughterhouse until the matter is resolved.”

Papayiannis went on to mention that there are other factors which have to be dealt with in Mammari as well.

“I believe that their are other problems in Mammari, especially with the surrounding areas. We are also now in the process of making landfills in the area so the slaughterhouse can dispose of its waste. Other problems in the area include hygiene matters which involve other departments in the government and the community as well.”
It is not the first time that the slaughterhouse has come under the spotlight. Last March, it came under fire after it was found to be dumping pools of chicken blood and body parts in nearby fields.