The discussion about Lake Paralimni must be based on facts, not misinformation.
Controlled water withdrawals from the lake are carried out by the State Environmental Service, in cooperation with the Game and Wildlife Service, the Water Resources Department, and the Geological Survey Department, at the request of the Municipality.
For years, government agencies had built a levee on private land to retain water for the purpose of protecting the birds that take refuge there.
We would like to remind you that there was a major infrastructure project to replenish the aquifer throughout the region.
This project was designed specifically to:
• replenishing the aquifer,
• irrigation,
• and combating malaria and the mosquitoes that plagued the region.
In 1962, design and construction began on an 11-kilometer-long open canal, involving the construction of approximately 40 dams and a control gate to regulate the water level. The project was completed in 1966 and operated by replenishing the aquifer and pumping water.
Today, because water remains in the lake for long periods of time:
• Salinity increases significantly,
• The aquifer is degraded,
• The water becomes unfit for use,
• And serious public health risks arise due to stagnant water and increased mosquito populations in the areas of Paralimni, Deryneia, and Sotira.
Contrary to what some people say, we support and promote the wetland:
• We have established a bird observatory,
• We organize photography exhibitions in collaboration with Lake Photography,
• We invited the Department of the Environment and held an opening ceremony together,
• We have been calling for a comprehensive redevelopment study for years,
• And we demand expropriations so that the state can legally proceed with management projects
Recently, we have been in constant consultation with the Department of the Environment to set in motion the comprehensive restoration of the lake.
Water is not released uncontrolled. Discharges are managed through daily measurements and on-site inspections by the relevant government agencies to maintain the required water level and protect the breeding of birds that remain in the area.
The lake is a Special Protection Area, but it is located on private land. That is why we have been asking the government for years to proceed with expropriations.
The region needs to strike a balance between protecting the environment and the ecosystem, public health, rational water management, and respect for private property.