The Directorate General of the Environment in the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Environment is taking action to prepare everything by mid-February and present new project plans for improving the main road network of the Akamas National Forest Park (NFP) to the Council of Ministers.
The significant challenge for the Directorate General of the Environment is to complete the examination process before the ad-hoc committee for the Special Ecological Assessment, scheduled for January 31, 2024.
After scrutiny by the members, it is anticipated that there will be modifications to the terms of the previous opinion of the Environmental Authority, leading to changes in the final project design based on the recommendations of the relevant committee.
In the context of the Council of Ministers’ decision, the existing contract is overseen by the Department of Forests under the guidance of the Directorate General of the Environment.
Simultaneously, procedures are underway for the next phases concerning the road network and infrastructure nodes by the Directorate General of the Environment.
Before the ad-hoc committee for the Special Ecological Assessment, the expert group’s opinion, consisting of three professors from the National Metsovian Technical University and a representative from ETEK, will be presented.
The special report of the expert group does not explicitly address or recognize the problem of violations of legally binding and essential terms of environmental approval.
However, it includes clear recommendations for corrective measures and restoration actions in the experts’ report.
The report proposes immediate measures to ensure the completion of already implemented or partially completed works in technical projects, including necessary markings.
These measures are particularly crucial considering potential intense weather phenomena between January and March 2024, which may result in significant surface runoff, rockfalls, and landslides.
It suggests preserving the ecological character of the area, taking into account previously approved studies and implemented interventions.
For the coastal road of 9 km (Aspros Potamos – Lara), it is noted that the construction of walls for safety reasons should consider unobstructed passage for vehicles and visitors.
Furthermore, the construction of (low) walls towards the mountain should be significantly reduced, only where absolutely necessary, in combination with the risk of rockfalls and landslides. Walls identified during the on-site visit that do not comply with environmental approval should be removed.
Excavation of rocky substrata should be done sparingly, limiting it to rocky areas with a parallel reduction of the base layer to 30 centimeters.
Special attention is recommended for landscape restoration in areas where excavation material was dumped on undisturbed soil, violating the terms of environmental approval.
The experts suggest reassessing existing excavations and emphasize the need for examining the planned road structure (crushed and run), considering alternative solutions.
They propose reducing the final road occupancy width to the absolutely necessary, with suitable planting of vegetation native to the area.
They note that water supply from the Pegia area with good quality drinking water should be limited to essential quantities transported by tanker trucks, as determined by specific needs.
The already constructed water transfer projects are recommended not to be used without suggesting their removal.
Furthermore, they recommend maintaining the existing water supply in the soil and not continuing it, without explicitly calling for removal.
In addition, they state that provisions should be made to ensure necessary water quantities in case of fire events within the protected area, either through existing or new boreholes managed by the Department of Forests.
If these quantities are deemed insufficient, cooperation with the Department of Geological Survey and the Department of Water should be sought for drilling in areas that will ensure the required quantities.
They also propose investigating new boreholes for water supply for fire nests.
Regarding the 4 km road (Toxeftra – Avakas – Lipata), they suggest that the works to be carried out should consider the existing road occupancy width, traffic safety, and the avoidance of ecological system burdens on both sides of the road.
They propose an immediate correction (restriction of the cross-section) of the technical study in the four-kilometer section to determine the necessary adjustments for the construction works to proceed.
