Residents of Skali area in Nicosia’s Agladjia suburb were shocked this week to see graves in their old cemetery getting disrespectfully destroyed as part of ongoing municipal works.
But Agladjia mayor Andreas Constantinou promptly explained that there was absolutely no other way to execute the specific project which aims to protect residents from sliding rocks hanging over their roofs.
“With all due respect to the dead those graves that will be damaged by the essential works will be restored to the way they were…human lives are now very much in danger,” he added.
The mayor made special mention of the landslide occurring after the earthquake of January 12. It took about 30 trucks to remove the rocks and dirt that fell into people’s yards.
He also said the implementation of the rock support project has been demanded for years – not only by residents who are at risk but by people living in the suburb in general.
Because, he added, people acknowledge the possible effects of future rockslides.