Environment Directorate inspection at Temploni landfill
Temploni
14 Jul 2021
/ 16:19
CORFU. Representatives of local residents were not allowed to be present.
On Wednesday morning, a team from the Ionian Islands Environment Directorate was at Temploni landfill to conduct an inspection.
This is not the first time that this has happened, since the Environment Directorate is obliged by law to check the landfills and their management, in order to determine whether there are any violations of environmental conditions. Countless inspections have been conducted in the past and in the majority of them serious infringements have been found. The administrative fines imposed simply burden the Μunicipality - in other words, the local residents.
“We were notified by the responsible Deputy Regional Governor about the visit of the team, but in the end the Regional officials did not allow us to enter, saying it was their responsibility,” Magda Papanikolopoulou of Temploni Cultural Society told Enimerosi. “We may have been notified, but the officials were not,” she added.
In an effort to find a solution, the residents contacted Mayor Meropi Ydraiou, and the response was that they should have put in a request. “We had already requested the Environment Directorate to conduct an inspection in our statement, noone let us know about the request,” said Ms. Papanikolopoulou. “The reason the residents are asking to be at the landfill during the inspection is so that they can contribute, if necessary, in identifying some spots that may not be visible at first glance, since we, as residents, have been dealing with this issue for years and we know the area very well,” she explained.
It should be noted that next Monday, July 19, there will be a “Democritos” team in Temploni headed by the Research Manager Leontios Leontiadis, in order to conduct sampling and analysis not only at the Temploni landfill but also within a 10km radius. An extensive 36-month research into and monitoring of the environmental situation at Temploni and the surrounding area will be conducted.
This is not the first time that this has happened, since the Environment Directorate is obliged by law to check the landfills and their management, in order to determine whether there are any violations of environmental conditions. Countless inspections have been conducted in the past and in the majority of them serious infringements have been found. The administrative fines imposed simply burden the Μunicipality - in other words, the local residents.
“We were notified by the responsible Deputy Regional Governor about the visit of the team, but in the end the Regional officials did not allow us to enter, saying it was their responsibility,” Magda Papanikolopoulou of Temploni Cultural Society told Enimerosi. “We may have been notified, but the officials were not,” she added.
In an effort to find a solution, the residents contacted Mayor Meropi Ydraiou, and the response was that they should have put in a request. “We had already requested the Environment Directorate to conduct an inspection in our statement, noone let us know about the request,” said Ms. Papanikolopoulou. “The reason the residents are asking to be at the landfill during the inspection is so that they can contribute, if necessary, in identifying some spots that may not be visible at first glance, since we, as residents, have been dealing with this issue for years and we know the area very well,” she explained.
It should be noted that next Monday, July 19, there will be a “Democritos” team in Temploni headed by the Research Manager Leontios Leontiadis, in order to conduct sampling and analysis not only at the Temploni landfill but also within a 10km radius. An extensive 36-month research into and monitoring of the environmental situation at Temploni and the surrounding area will be conducted.
