Agriculture ministry representative Nikoleta Iona on Thursday said the first phase of flood control works being carried out in light of the wildfire which tore through the Limassol district and killed two people in July would be completed in October.

Addressing a joint session of the House agriculture, environment, and interior committees held in light of the fire, she said tenders have been launched for particularly dangerous points that needed immediate management.

Thursday’s session is the third meeting held at the House on the wildfire and is focusing on the environmental impact of the blaze.

Iona said the geological survey department has mapped the area and identified dangerous points on the road network, for which the police has been informed.

The bulk of the work is clearing hard shoulders from debris.

She said the water development department has also been busy working on restoring and upgrading the water supply network, with some works to be completed in October, and presently 75 per cent complete, and the second phase set to be completed in February next year.

Furthermore, over 200 rubbish dumps have been cleared, and debris is being removed.

Forestry department director Savvas Iezekiel said they could not interfere in private property, from whence burnt wood should be removed as it posed a risk, including insect infestation.

House environment committee chairman and Green party MP Charalambos Theopemptou asked what work was being done to prevent erosion on private properties, to which Iona said that the mapping of rivers was not consistent and that interference had been found on private properties.

Interior ministry permanent secretary Elikkos Elia said that requisitions were being promoted in collaboration with the water development department.

“Some maps have been found, and instructions have been given for requisitions,” he explained.

Agriculture ministry permanent secretary Andreas Gregoriou said the water development department had visited the area impacted by the fire and determined areas where flood control works were necessary – including from Kourris dam overflows –  adding that these would be completed in October.

Akel MPs were sceptical, with agriculture committee chairman Yiannakis Gavriel saying that “it appears we are still at the planning stage”.

“I want each service to submit measures and timeframes,” he demanded.

Akel MP Nikos Kettiros said that the met office has forecast rain and the authorities will be rushing to complete works.

Disy MPs, on the other hand, said they acknowledged the work done so far.

Gregoriou assured the MPs that no problems would arise if it rained.

At this point, Iezekiel said the forestry department had mapped the area and would be planting 20,000 trees, starting in November.

Environment commissioner Antonia Theodosiou admitted that the devastation was massive and that she had submitted a proposal for restoration.

She also found there was no plan in place for pets and that the authorities were giving priority to humans and their properties. “This was reasonable. There had been no recording of the deaths of pets,” she added.

Theodosiou also confirmed that she had not met with the agriculture minister of the ministry’s permanent secretary, infuriating interior committee chairman Aristos Damianou.