JUST AS environmentalists were thanking the Cyprus government for swiftly suspending quarrying in the Akamas village of Androlikou yesterday, angry residents reported hearing loud explosions on Monday night.
With Agriculture Minister Michalis Polynikis and Environmental Commissioner Charalambous Theopemptou out of the country, campaigner Yiannis Taliotis said he could only surmise that the government representatives “had lied”.
An application made in 1999 for a quarry on the same site in Androlikou was rejected in 2001 on environmental grounds, citing the area year-old be of “outstanding natural beauty”.
“So what has changed?” demanded Taliotis.
After sending out a plea for help earlier in the month, residents and environmental movements had yesterday been hailing the government for requesting the quarrying in the area be suspended, while the matter was examined.
Taliotis said, “I spoke to the Green Party in Nicosia yesterday, and they were unaware of the situation. They said it was a great pity that the explosions had resumed, as they had already issued a statement thanking the relevant authorities.
“This is not the job for one man,” he said.
“I’m appealing to the representatives of the European Commission in Cyprus and all the environmentalists to help stop this terrible practice. Above all I call upon the Turkish Cypriot owners to come and visit their properties to see the truth of the situation.”
The village sits in a picturesque region on the Polis Chrysochous side of Akamas but daily explosions and heavy excavations have been decimating the area.
Local gynaecologist, Taliotis, says the mining activity is illegal, as the village is Turkish Cypriot owned.
For many years, quarrying of construction materials was taking place to the east of the village, which is a short distance away from the string of gorges in the area. Once these resources had been exhausted, residents were hoping the quarries would close.
The doctor has the backing of the villagers and of Hassan Mustafa, a member of the council and at 75, the oldest member of the community.
The village is unique, as it is the only place in the free areas where the majority of the local council are Turkish Cypriots.
Taliotis recently discovered that the Cyprus Government has given permission for companies to move over the road and begin quarrying over the gorge of Androlikou .
He recently told the Cyprus Mail, “This village is going to be surrounded, as there are now four or five more applications for further excavations.”
