‘Where is the Public Benefit in Zoning Diyarbakır City Forest for Construction?’

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Diyarbakır MP Garo Paylan has stated that the City Forest in Turkey's southeastern province of Diyarbakır, which is located on a 3,000-decare area, has been designated as a "reserved construction site" by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization.

Accordingly, submitting a Parliamentary question to be responded by Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum, Paylan has stated:

'City Forest is the lungs of Diyarbakır'

"The City Forest, which is described as the 'lungs' of Diyarbakır in a manner of speaking and covers an area of almost three thousand decares, is one of the few green spaces in the city. It is of crucial importance for the city-dwellers' right to a health life and a balanced environment.

"It is alleged that the local administration, the related professional chambers, unions, non-governmental organizations and citizens were not consulted about the zoning for construction though it directly concerns them.

"Professional organizations have been warning that the decision of zoning Diyarbakır City Forest, which is planned as pastureland, so a 'green space', for construction as a 'reserved construction site" is openly against the law, development plans, principles of urbanization and planning, public benefit and the 'right to life in a healthy and balanced environment' guaranteed by the Constitution and calling the Ministry to cancel the plan.

"The judicial process initiated by the professional organizations in the city for the reversal of this decision is still continuing."

'Is there an Environmental Impact Assessment Report?'

Sharing the above information, HDP MP Paylan has directed Minister of Environment and Urbanization a series of questions including the following:

* Can you explain the public benefit in zoning the City Forest, which is the lungs of Diyarbakır, for construction?

* Is there an Environmental Impact Assessment Report, which is obligatory for the zoning of City Forest for construction?

* Are you thinking of reversing the decision of zoning City Forest for construction given that all local initiatives in Diyarbakır are against it? (DB/SD)