Environmental Protection Department fines polluters

FIFTEEN fines have been slapped on polluters so far this year, as authorities continue a crackdown aimed at preserving the North Cyprus environment.

The Environmental Protection Department on Thursday published a list of fines issued during January as a result of inspections around the country.

Ten were noise-related — seven in the Girne area and one each in Gazimağusa, Güzelyurt and Lefke — while two fines were dished out in Gazimağusa for waste disposal breaches and environmental pollution.

Lefkoşa also saw one fine apiece issued for air pollution, waste water disposal infringement and “natural life” pollution.

The amount of the fines was not revealed, but under the law can range between a quarter and six times the minimum wage, currently 2,175TL.

Tourism and Environment Minister Fikri Ataoğlu said the get-tough approach was part of a drive to create a sustainable environmental awareness.

The campaign included making environmental tuition part of the school curriculum and clean-ups carried out around the country every Thursday by volunteers and local authorities. Mr Ataoğlu said they were “delighted” at the growing involvement of volunteers in tackling environmental problems.

He stressed that the goal was not simply to dish out penalties, but to provide a better environment for future generations, commenting: “We shouldn’t pollute nature. We have to protect it so that we can live.”

He said suspected pollution should be reported to the environmental complaints hotline, on 123, enabling “prompt and sensitive” investigations to be carried out.