THE
HISTORY OF
THE
ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIETY OF LEFKE
The
Environmental Society of Lefke was established in 1995 with fourteen
environment sensitive persons with the aim of raising the awareness within the
public and to fight against the existing pollution in and around Lefke.
Lefke through the history has
become a major attraction of labor and has been the center of administrative
town in its environment until
the year of 1974.
The labor force left the region when the CMC (Cyprus Mines Corporation)
closed the copper mining pits with no apparent reason leaving behind a huge
amount of debris causing health hazard to the environment. Lefke then over the
years lost its attraction and the population, thus causing the economy to
subside.
Global awareness of Environmental issues
has prompted sensitive
people in the region to set
up an Environmental Society to fight against the everyday issues of pollution
and the debris left behind by CMC. Tamer Dayıoğlu
became the first president of the society.
One
of the aims of the society is to clear up the debris left behind by The CMC
which is causing a health
hazard to Eco-system and to
establish the impact on human health.
The primary aims of the Society are:
a)
To protect the environment, Eco-system and human health who requires
these necessities.
b)
To protect animal species facing extinction, such as vultures and
turtles.
c)
To stop the unplanned construction.
d)
To stop the sea-pollution.
e)
To protect the breeding sites on the beach and in the dams.
f)
To protect the cultural and historical sites in Lefke.
g)
To stop using chemicals such as hormones and marketing and in food production.
h)
To stop the hunting of migrating birds.
i)
To stop marketing of hunting birds and animals.
j)
To stop using any chemical which causes the depletion of ozone layer.
k)
To stop the tree cutting and to promote the tree planting in the region.
l)
To reach the above aims the society will convene meetings, conferences,
and print pamphlets, newspapers to raise the awareness.
m)
To stop the noise pollution.
n)
To reach the above aim the society feels free to sue any body or
establishment to stop any kind of pollution, seek legal advise from the
authorities and from any International Organization.
o)
To become a member in
similar organization.
p)
To organize cultural and social activities.
The primary concern of the Environmental Society is the debris left behind by the CMC. The CMC having extracted the gold from the copper ore from a fertile soil and left the site in huge debris which is considered in thousands of tons. The society after having an academic research by the members of different Universities has enlighten the public on the extend of the pollution.
We
are hereby seeking any form of help to alleviate the problem from sensitive
people. For more information http://www.north-cyprus.net/kktc/kurumlar/lefkectd/index.htm
.
One
of the richest water resources on the island is at Lefke area. The Gemikonağı
dam was build to restrain and contain the
water in the dam, but the area the dam was build on is an effected by the
pollution which pollutes the water before it is used for irrigation. The society
is working on the issue to rectify the problem.
To
raise the awareness in environmental issues the society first published a news
bulletin and at later stage printed newspaper namely Lefke Gazetesi.
To
raise the awareness amongst the children the society organized composition,
poems, and art exhibitions in the schools.
In
order to create a healthy environment and society we require
educated volunteers working for this cause.
We hope to live in a healthy
environment in future.