United front by Larnaca mayors to tackle manure stench

The chronic and intense stench plaguing parts of Larnaca prompted three mayors to request a meeting with the agriculture minister to resolve the problem once and for all.

The mayors of the communities most impacted – Larnaca, Aradippou and Dromolaxia-Meneou – met on Monday to form a united front against a common enemy: the stench emanating from manure.

“The smell knows no municipal boundaries, we are in this together,” Larnaca mayor Andreas Vyras said.

The use of manure and other animal waste in the district’s agricultural sector has made some communities so associated with the smell that many are put off.

Vyras warned that summer is when the smell truly hits and impacts the quality of life.

“It is almost that time when every year, us in Larnaca face a very serious problem that affects the quality of life of the public, tourism and our district in general,” he said, singling out the stench as the offender.

Indeed, the popular beachfront Finikoudes is sometimes hit by the stench.

The three mayors came up with a list of proposals which they say are easy and enforceable, without costing millions or requiring a change in legislation.

They called for the use of manure in fields to be set at specific times and not whenever a farmer feels like it, meaning that permission must be obtained from the local authority for the place and time when it will be dumped.

The mayors also urged that the manure be immediately dug into the soil so that it is not left out on the open, spreading fumes.

They added that on-site inspections by an official of the local authority and an inspection of the livestock units to ensure that the products are being stored correctly is also needed.

Their final request is for financial assistance from the agriculture ministry to ensure that local authorities can acquire the personnel needed to perform these duties.

“If there is the required will by the government to act then these proposals can be implemented immediately,” Vyras said.