Northern Turkey locals revolt against new quarries, block environmental assessment meeting

Osman Çaklı - DUVAR

Locals of the northern Bartın province have been resisting the construction of four limestone quarries around the Bartın River, putting the total number of quarries at 10, which residents say threatens settlement.

Residents of the area stormed an Oct. 1 meeting for the projects' environmental impact assessment, slamming the construction that they said would be located 290 meters from their settlement.

While local authorities wanted to hold a second meeting on Oct. 1, locals protested and blocked the gathering, forcing officials of the Environment and Urbanization Ministry to leave the room.

Locals noted that thousands of people would be threatened by dynamite blasts needed to set up the quarry, adding that their fruit trees have stopped yielding since the construction of the six existing quarries by the river.

Two of the quarries that are designed in the construction plan will result in the destruction of 219 hectares of forest land, and will cut down about 2,500 trees, Prof. Erdoğan Atmış of the Bartın Education and Culture Association said.

The expert said that allowing the construction of quarries along the river was a sign of the recklessness of urban planning in Bartın, urging authorities to stop permits in the area.