Construction Vehicles Enter Lake Salda Beach, Leave After Outrage

Photo: Twitter

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Construction work for a recreational facility started yesterday (April 14) around Lake Salda as part of the government's "Nation's Garden" project.

After photos showing construction vehicles near the lake caused outrage on social media, authorities announced that the work was halted and the company was penalized.

The controversial project was approved by a court in November 2019.

The area that the vehicles entered was normally prohibited for people to enter with shoes, Süheyla Doğan from the Ecology Union, a group comprising environmentalist groups from various parts of the country, told bianet. "Burdur Governor's Office banned going to the lake in the coronavirus period. Taking advantage of this, the contractor started working, because people couldn't come anyway."

The sand that must be protected was taken to the area cited as "public beach" in the project and an area of 10 thousand square meters was damaged, she said.

A criminal complaint was filed

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Burdur MP Mehmet Göker also said that the contractor firm took advantage of the visitor ban due to the coronavirus pandemic. He recalled that Minister of Environment and Urbanism Murat Kurum had said, "Even a nail won't be banged" around the lake.

Photo: AA

"We filed a criminal complaint to the Yeşilova Chief Public Prosecutor's Office for the detection of the criminals and the necessary judicial proceedings," he said, asserting that not only the firm but also the supervising authorities should be held responsible for what happened.

Locals also filed a criminal complaint, stating that the sand brought by the firm would grow dark and restoration of the area would be impossible, Gazete Duvar reported.

"In scientific studies, it has been determined that the sand area is a living structure formed as a result of bio-mineralization. Scientists state that the sands that were moved will darken in the place where they were moved to and that the places where the sands are taken are like wounds opened in the body of a living creature, it is now impossible to restore it," they said in the petition.

The act violated the Law No. 2683 on the Conservation of Cultural and Natural Property, they stated.

Minister: A surveillance system will be set up

The Housing Development Administration (TOKİ) said in a written statement that "they were also disturbed" by the images and penal action was taken against the firm.

"Although the contractor company was ordered not to put machinery vehicles into the construction area, sufficient sensibility was not shown in this regard. Due to the flawed behavior of the contractor, the necessary financial and other penal provisions in the contract have been executed. In addition, an investigation was started regarding the consulting firm and responsible personnel, and the responsible personnel was removed from their duties," the TOKİ stated.

Minister Kurum also made a statement on the incident, saying that they would set up a 24/7 surveillance system to protect the area.

On the ministry's project, he said, "Our project is a project to hand down Salda to next generations by protecting it in the best way with its white beaches, turquoise color."

He added that only demountable wooden material would be used in the recreational facility, noting that they banned camp tents and caravans from the area. (HA/VK)