'Gold mining company felling trees in Ordu despite expired license'

Photo: Ünye/Üçpınar Resistance / Twitter

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Züleyha Gülüm has submitted a parliamentary question about a gold mining company's operations to expand a mine site in Fatsa, Ordu in the Black Sea Region.

The Altıntepe Mining company started felling trees to expand the mine although its license expired on January 27 and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process was not completed, noted Gülüm.

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"The mining company wants to expand its site and increase its capacity although its time expired twice and the additional time expired once," she said. "As a matter of fact, the tree felling that started but was prevented by the struggle of the local people and ecology advocates has started again."

"The Ünye Forest Management Directorate is irregularly lodging tenders and felling trees in favor of the company," said Gülüm.

The MP asked Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum whether he gave a written or verbal order for the operations or an investigation was opened into the illegal tree felling.

"Has the ecological damage caused by cyanide gold mining in Fatsa been investigated? What are the heavy metal pollution and toxic values ​​in the mine and its surroundings?" she also asked. (SO/VK)