2009-09-16 Green Group Blasts Plans to Build on Drymou Cliff.

The Group for the Protection of Ancient Trees (OPADE) yesterday blasted plans to build village council offices over what they claim is an area of great environmental and archaeological value at Drymou village, near Polis Chrysochous in Paphos.
“We strongly object to the pending disaster and destruction of the unique beauty and rarity of Drymou’s steep hill to construct council offices. In addition, we’d like to report the Antiquities Department, Town Planning Department, Paphos District Administration and Drymou mukhtar for acting on a whim and displaying scandalous indifference,” Michalis Onisiforou, President of OPADE said yesterday.
According to Onisiforou, the natural and archaeological treasures of the area include an ancient cave with underground networks that will inevitably be destroyed as the building will be constructed just five meters away.
The entire area forms part of an ancient cemetery, as supported by a study performed by University of Thessaloniki professors. The site is also the starting point to the Kolotas natural trail.
OPADE also claims the first water fountain of the village from 1954 will be torn down. It said dozens of Cypress trees will also be toppled and the nearby Archangel chapel and a giant ancient tree may also be affected.
In addition to the destruction of these local attractions, Onisiforou insists that building on the cliff makes no sense. He said there was lots of land right next to the cliff area, and that the area is a seismogenic zone and a building on a steep cliff with underground vaults many not be the safest option.
“There is a real danger that part or the whole of the cliff may collapse as some of the underground networks of the cave which lie just below the affected piece of land, will cause a landslide. Also in 2001 there was an earthquake of 4.3 on the Richter scale with Drymou as its epicenter, so further instability at the cliff should be avoided,” he said.
“There is lots of space just near the cliff where they can build. This is just unheard of. These things only happen in Cyprus. It tells a lot about the character of our decision-makers,” Onisiforou added.

Anna Hassapi, "CYPRUS MAIL", 2009-09-12