Our Divided Loyalties courtesy by Cyprus Today
Road Leaves Village in `town our country ` split
Villagers in Buyukkonuk face a difficult choice between seeing their village cut in two or losing forestry land to the new Kaplica-Cayirova road.
One proposed route will split off the municipality’s new Pine View restaurant and holiday village, due to be officially opened today by Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu, from the rest of the village. Also cut off would be a football field and the site of a planned new swimming pool.
Changing the route would mean going through a forested area. Destruction of trees has already led to complaints from people in Kaplica.
In Buyukkonuk, the local authority first renovated an old school on a hillside surrounded by pine trees. Then , last year it added wooden holiday chalets and developed a picnic area with over 20 brick barbacues and wooden tables. The site overlooks the football field, which is also used by the school for celebrations and folkdancing displays.
If the site is cut off from the rest of the village, one plan is to constrict a pedestrian bridge.
Mayor Sezai Sezen said:”We’re looking for a positive and logical solution. If the road route changes, it will mean sacrificing some of the forest and if it doesn’t, it will mean our villagers and their children will have to negotiate the main road to reach facilities.”
Ismail Cemal , head of Buyukkonuk Eco-Tourism Association, added:”It’s not just the road we are worried about. Ribbon development could make it much worse.this was all discussed with ministers and officials at a meeting two weeks ago. Either way trees will be cut down. The association does not want to see a road divide the village”.
Sahap Asikoglu, unders-secretary at the Tourism, Environment and Culture Ministery, confirmed that a feasibility study was under way with the Department of the Environment to assess the financial and environmental cost of an alternative.
He said:”We will submit a report to Transport Minister Hasan Tacoy for a final decision.”
Gulay Komilli, municipality secretary,eco-tourism advocate and mother of one, said:”I’m against it for two reasons. We have all worked hard to promote small scale tourism and our visitors walk up through the village to Pine View, it’s part of the appeal.
“More importantly, though, how will our kids go to play football? When the swimming poolll is finished, how will the school get a class of kids up there when they have to cross a main road? Roadside land increases in value and some would like to see it go through.”
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