Paralimni-Deryneia municipality defends controlled drainage of lake

The Municipality of Paralimni-Deryneia is carrying out controlled water removal from Lake Paralimni following requests to state authorities to address public health and environmental concerns. The operation is managed by the Department of Environment in collaboration with the Game and Fauna Service, the Water Development Department, and the Geological Survey Department, utilizing daily monitoring. The municipality argues that stagnant water increases salinity, degrades the aquifer, and poses public health risks due to mosquitoes. Historically, an 11-kilometer canal system with 40 dams was established between 1962 and 1966 to manage water levels and combat malaria. While the municipality insists on these measures, the environmental organization BirdLife has expressed concern that draining the lake threatens the native bird population during their reproductive season. Lake Paralimni is a Natura 2000 protected site and an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area with over 186 recorded species. The municipality has rejected allegations of mismanagement and called for a restoration study and land expropriation to better manage the wetland.