Non-governmental organizations called on the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization to review the decision regarding the Kocaeli-Istanbul project, which is planned to pass the 1.7 kilometer through the Ballıkayalar Nature Park.
DW According to the news of Turkish; Istanbul and Kocaeli branches of TMMOB Chamber of Environmental Engineers, Northern Forests Defense, Kocaeli Ecological Life Association and nature advocates organized an action to protect the Ballıkayalar Nature Park, which is planned to pass a highway.
Representatives of civil society organizations and environmentalists who gathered in the park called on the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization to review the decision.
The Istanbul-Kocaeli Highway project was approved by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization at the end of April. Following the Positive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, the project also passed through Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Assembly last month.
According to the project, 64 km of the planned 1.7-kilometer highway will pass through Ballıkayalar Nature Park. Thus, the time taken for the distance between Istanbul and Kocaeli will be shortened by 30 minutes.
Environmental Engineers Chamber of Istanbul and Kocaeli branch on behalf of the prepared joint statement read by Selim Akyol, the natural life in Turkey is still constitutionally securing, in the constitution of deficiencies in the implementation of existing environmental regulations, each citizen "the right to a healthy environment" was stressed that violated.
Reminding that 17 thousand trees will be cut for the highway, which is announced to pass through Ballıkayalar Nature Park, Akyol stated that this situation will cause irreversible damages to the park, which is the first degree natural protected area and contains many living things.
Stating that the entire ecosystem will be affected by the felling of trees, Akyol said, “Ecosystem describes a holistic network. When you remove any part of this whole chain, other parts will also be affected by this situation and the ecosystem will collapse. ”
STONE QUARRY WILL OPEN
Akyol, the project will not only be limited to the road, the region will also open a quarry, he said.
For this, Akyol stated that the trees will be cut down and that the amount of emissions in the region will increase with the use of the road during the project and at the end of the project, natural life and agricultural lands and water assets will be threatened.
Stating that the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization approves the project, Akyol stated that he acts far from science and society. “We warn the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization to return from this mistake. The path to be made for a half hour time saving will disrupt the balance of a time of millions of years. Ballıkayalar Nature Park is more valuable than 30 minutes. ”
“SHOULD BE THE ENCLOSURE FOREST”
Speaking for the Defense of the Northern Forests, Mısra Gedikde said, “Take your hand from the common heritage of the world, Ballıkayalar. "The highway cannot be passed through Ballıkayalar, a 200-million-year-old natural wonder."
Noting Park is the lungs of a thousand kinds of trees Gedik, Turkey stressed that similar practices at many points.
Gedik said, “The unique forest ecosystem in the north of Istanbul, Kocaeli, Düzce, Kırklareli, Tekirdağ, Yalova and Sakarya is attempting to be occupied and looted” Article 6891 of the Forest Law No. 23 of the Northern Forests and He called for it to be included in the Conservation Forest.
FAST TRAIN APPROVED
Kocaeli Ecological Life Association Board Member DrMustafa Zenginise said that it is planned to pass the Adapazarı-Istanbul YHT as well as the Kocaeli-Istanbul highway from the park. Zengin pointed out that the EIA report was approved for the railway.
Stating that the Kocaeli-Istanbul highway will affect not only Ballıkayalar, but also the 84 hectare forest area on the Kocaeli peninsula, Zengin said, “We are in favor of raising the standard of the old Istanbul road and improving its quality. Then this will not be plundered. ”
After the explanations, environmental and geological engineers, together with nature defenders, made a technical trip in the region.
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