Joint press release of the Residents’ Associations: Old – New Workers’ Housing and Glykia Nafplion.
The Ramadani stream has not been performing its natural function and mission for years, due to the hydraulic barrier of its bed.
The bed of the Ramadani stream in the last 150 meters before the outlet to the sea remains completely blocked-banked, not allowing and preventing the waters from ending up in the sea. As a consequence of this, in recent years, the stream does not fulfill its natural function and mission, as provided by the 24th article of the Constitution and the applicable provisions for watercourses – rivers – streams, which mandate that the waters flow unhindered towards the recipients the lakes or sea.
Since this is unthinkable to happen in an organized and favored state, what is it that forces the authorities of the Peloponnese Region – P.E. Argolida for years to decrease and not to restore the natural function of the stream? We know that they have mechanical means and funding from the State for this purpose all these years. What happened, are they blocked by someone? Were the relevant services asked?
The attempt to open the blocked bed in the Ramadani estuary failed.
On 10-4-2024/ the 1st day, the rotary digging machine sent by the vice-regional head Yiannis Manzounis and the Regional Unit of Argolis cleared reeds in the eastern part of the bed towards the bridge (that is, in the part that had been cleaned earlier in 2018), while on 11-4-2024/ 2nd day trampled reeds in the riparian zone of the estuary to create a better seat on the machine. Unfortunately, when he tried to open the blocked riverbed, it got stuck in the muddy ground of the riparian zone and went idle (he did not clear a single meter of the 150 meters of the blocked riverbed). What we have mentioned from time to time and pointed out to the authorities about the prevailing situation there has been confirmed.
The stagnant water remains trapped in the bed of the Ramadani torrent, both east of the blocked bed and east of the bridge for another 250 m (in fact, they go beyond the Argolis Natural Protection Center there), creating huge issues: A) damage – alteration of the local natural environment , B) oversaturation of the soil on both sides of the river bed/permanent moisture/stagnant water, C) risk of disease transmission and infections from mosquitoes for the residents of both the nearby areas of Old Tiryns – Nafplio Workers Housing – Glykia, as well as our fellow citizens of wider area of the city of Nafplio (the direct distance to the town hall of Nafplio is only 2 km).
We have repeatedly pointed out in the last 10 years to the competent vice-regional governors and Services of the Regional Unit of Argolis (the first 3 with our oral interventions and the last 7 with our documents): 1) the operation of the spillway of the irrigation pipeline of Anavalos/G.O.E. B. through which large quantities of water are artificially discharged into the riverbed (at the site of Katevasia Tirynthas), 2) the gradual clogging of the riverbed in the western part of its estuary. We submitted Google maps – orthophoto map of the Ministry of Agriculture – aerial photographs – photographs – gazette with topographic diagrams showing the width of the bed year 2005 – map of G.Y.S. with the elevations of the natural ground in the last 800 meters of the stream before its mouth (500m. east of the bridge and 300m. west of the bridge) i.e. towards the sea, 3) the definitive barrier of the bed which caused a hydraulic barrier with serious damage to natural environment and the abolition of the function of the stream due to this, 4) the impossibility of the waters that flood the area to reach the sea due to the existing sandy embankment along the entire sea front, created by the strong westerly winds, 5) the current regime of the area, in which there is no area of absolute protection and no Natura area, as some have been falsely and falsely trying to convey to the authorities, services and public opinion for 10 years.
Finally, any attempt to connect the theme of Ramadan with birds is misplaced. We ask the simplest, is there an institutionalized bird area on the beach front? Is there (S.S.P.) an important bird area? NO at all. Could it be that those who caress them for their pro-ecological profile, were they trapped out of naivety?
Things are clear. Determination is needed from those in charge here to open the blocked bed. If they do not succeed, we ask for the intervention of the Regional Governor of Peloponnese, Mr. Dimitris Ptochos, so that the timing problem can be resolved with his own orders.
Nafplio 4-22-2024 ‘
The Presidents of the Associations:
Georgios Dokos-Panovrakos
Panagiotis Michaleas
Yannis Koliopoulos
