Prosecutor’s conclusion on the dead fish in Volos: The Karla storm barrier could not be closed

The Karla storm barrier, because of which water and in recent weeks tons of fish have been flowing into the Pagasitikos Gulf, could not be closed, according to a multi-page conclusion of the Volos Prosecutor’s Office, which had ordered and completed a preliminary investigation as early as last February.

The investigation was prompted by a complaint filed on September 22 by Volos mayor Achilleas Beos, following an autopsy he had conducted in the area of Karla, complaining that quantities of water, contaminated by water from the Pinios river, which was being used to divert waste water from the Larissa biological treatment plant that was damaged after the floods, were ending up in the Pagasitic Gulf.

For the lawsuit, the “fate” of which was sought by the mayor of Volos, a preliminary investigation had been carried out and the conclusion seems to answer the current question “why had the sluice gate not been closed” and tons of fish from Karla ended up in the Pagasitikos Gulf.

According to reports, this is a multi-page conclusion, according to which the barrage was not allowed to be closed. The investigation, conducted over the winter months, came to three main points:

– The waters of the Karla were not contaminated, based on measurements taken – The water quality of the Pagasitikos Gulf was not affected by the inflow of water from the Karla. – The barrage could not be closed because the flood situation had to be relieved. It is also stated that the opening of the sluice gate follows the rules set by the Act.

The multi-page conclusion was issued in early February and was even submitted to the Larissa Prosecutor’s Office of the Appeals Court. By decision of two independent prosecutors, it was decided that there was no problem at the time and the mayor’s lawsuit was filed.

The conclusion never saw the light of day, until recently, on the occasion of the phenomenon of dead fish, because of which a public dialogue has been reopened about the Karla storm barrier.

However, if it were made public, it could have prevented the discussion that took place at the beginning of the tourist season, when “voices” were talking, without evidence, about the contamination of the Pagasitikos by the Karla, resulting in the discrediting of the region and the creation of confusion among citizens as to whether or not they should swim on the Pagasitikos coast, which before the appearance of dead fish, had been characterized as “excellent quality”.