The Egyptian Environment Minister, Yasmine Fouad, confirmed, on Saturday, that coordination has been made between her ministry and Irrigation Ministry, officials in the villages of Marassi, Stella and diplomats, to develop urgent solutions to treat erosion in the coastal area adjacent to the village of Marassi, owned by the Emirati company Emaar, in the Sidi Abdel Rahman area on the northern coast.
The Environment Minister explained that the necessary report is currently being prepared to identify the causes of the problem and develop appropriate solutions to present them to the Higher Committee for Licensing at the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources to take the appropriate decision, as it is the authority entrusted with issuing licenses for any business in the beach or sea campus in coordination with other relevant authorities.
The Environment Ministry followed up on citizens’ complaints about the presence of seawater turbidity in the coastal area adjacent to the village of Marassi, owned by the Emirati company Emaar.
Fouad issued instructions to form an urgent and specialized committee from the branch of the Environmental Affairs Agency in Alexandria and the Central Administration of Northern Reserves to inspect the coastal area of Marassi and the neighboring villages and take the necessary measures.
Immediately, the committee moved to the site and conducted field inspections for three consecutive days to identify the reasons for the complaint and take the necessary measures.
It was found from the field inspections and chemical measurements of the quality of sea water that there was turbidity at different rates higher than its normal rates in the coastal area of the aforementioned villages as a result of dredging works in the area.
Accordingly, instructions were issued to stop all dredging work and take the necessary pledges not to resume any new work, leave the dredger site and dismantle the related equipment.
The work of the field committee of the Ministry continued to follow up the implementation of the suspension of works and to take the necessary daily samples of seawater in the area, and it was found that the rates of turbidity concentrations gradually returned to their normal levels.
The environment in the affected area is safe and does not affect tourism uses and activities, the committee said.
The Environment Ministry continues daily follow-up with the competent authorities, in addition to inspecting all tourist villages on the North Coast to ensure compliance with all environmental requirements and to take the necessary measures.
