‘Air quality data on İzmir’s industrial sites not shared for 5 years’

* Photo: Aliağa Ekspres

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Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) İzmir MP and Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) Environmental Commission member Murat Bakan has alleged that the data on air quality in the Aegean province's industrial sites is kept hidden by the Ministry.

İzmir MP Bakan has recalled that the air quality is measured in all provinces of Turkey by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. Referring to this data measured by the air quality monitoring stations installed all across the country, Bakan has said that this data is then published on the "air monitoring" website of www.havaizleme.gov.tr.

According to the main opposition CHP MP, in the specific case of İzmir province, it is only possible to access the air quality findings collected by the stations in İzmir's Çiğli, Karşıyaka, Bayraklı, Bornova, Konak-Alsancak, Konak-Güzelyalı, Buca-Şirinyer and Seferihisar.

However, CHP's Bakan has noted, the related website does not cover the data collected by the air quality measurement stations in the regions of Aliağa, Menemen, Yeni Foça and Bozköy, where air pollution is really intense on the grounds that these areas are industrial zones.

"The air quality measurement data as to these regions has not been shared with the public since June 2016," Bakan has underlined.

'Air quality is measured 24/7'

Against this backdrop, CHP İzmir MP Murat Bakan has recalled that he addressed Parliamentary questions to Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum in September 2019 and last April.

In his statement, CHP's Bakan has also shared the answers given to his Parliamentary questions by Minister Kurum.

According to Kurum's answer to the first Parliamentary question, for the air quality data measured in the related regions to be transferred to the website, the service procurement of data transfer devices and administrative software was underway. When the procurement was finalized, it would be possible to follow immediate data, the Minister reportedly said.

In his answer to the last Parliamentary question, Minister Kurum said, "The pollution of Aliağa, Menemen and Yenifoça is measured 24/7 without interruption by the Aliağa (Enka) and Aliağa-Bozköy Air Quality Monitoring Stations. At the stations, air quality measurements as to the parameters of PM10, PM2.5, SO2, O3, CO and Nox are monitored. The related data transfer software has been installed to the stations. Our Ministry is still working to ensure that the data obtained from the related software devices can be instantly shared on https://sim.csb.gov.tr/."

'What do people inhale in Aliağa?'

Against this background, CHP's Bakan has asked, "If the air quality is measured 24/7, why has this data not been shared for five years even though we asked several times." He has briefly added:

"If you measure it and if you are so sure about it, then share it with the public. Why are you hiding it? Aliağa is an industrial site and people live here. They are breathing, drinking water and consuming the products cultivated from the soil. An occupational hospital is being constructed in Aliağa. Won't we question why this hospital is being built in Aliağa?

"In recent years, we have had several citizens who have caught occupational diseases and lost their lives as a result of an occupational disease. Air pollution is not a simple issue that can be ignored or constantly postponed. All living beings stay alive by breathing.

"What do the people in Aliağa region inhale? These questions must be answered. And this irresponsiblity and lack of inspections must come to an end urgently! As things stand, this region will be a grave for the people and all living beings." (KÖ/SD)