DEVA Party: How will you protect 22 villages and 75 thousand decares of agricultural land?

DEVA Party Deputy Chairman Cem Avşar has brought the pollution of the Anadere stream, which affects 22 villages and 75 thousand decares of agricultural land within the Karaiğdemir Dam irrigation basin, to the agenda of the Parliament. He submitted a written parliamentary question for the Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Murat Kurum, to answer regarding the pollution of the Anadere stream, which affects 22 villages and 75 thousand decares of agricultural land in the Karaiğdemir Dam irrigation basin.

In the motion, Avşar drew attention to the agricultural and industrial potential of Tekirdağ and its contribution to the national economy. He stated that in this city with high potential, due to a lack of sufficient oversight and care, and the failure to implement relevant regulations and prohibitions, fertile lands are being poisoned by industrial waste, posing a threat to the environment and human health. Avşar asked about the inspections conducted regarding the pollution of Anadere, whether any action has been taken against the companies causing the pollution, and whether the necessary technical examinations and analyses have been carried out on the Anadere stream. Furthermore, Avşar asked Minister Kurum questions such as whether any toxic waste results that would negatively affect agriculture and human health have been detected, and whether there are any preemptive measures in place against the pollution of the Anadere stream, which affects 22 villages and 75 thousand decares of agricultural land in the Karaiğdemir Dam irrigation basin.

Avşar stated that Tekirdağ is among the top 10 provinces contributing to the national economy in all sectors with its fertile lands, raw material contribution to industry, production potential, Organized Industrial Zones (OSB) and European Free Zones (ASB), transportation routes, location, and qualified workforce structure.

“Tekirdağ, one of the 3 provinces located entirely on the European continent, is situated on slightly rugged land covered with rich alluvium in the northwest of the Sea of Marmara.”, said Avşar; “Our province, a modern agricultural and industrial city with fertile lands in the south of Thrace, has fertile plains covering streams and wide-bottomed valleys in the interior, in addition to small coastal plains on the Marmara shores.”, he stated.

Avşar noted that Tekirdağ possesses natural resources and groundwater reserves, proximity to the market and financial center of Istanbul, and in terms of transportation, it has railways, sea routes, and active highways connecting sea ports to industrial zones and Europe.

Avşar said that the province's industrial establishments are mainly located in the Çorlu and Çerkezköy districts, and the leading sector in terms of industry is textiles. Avşar said, “The textile sector is followed in order of weight by the leather, food, machinery-metal, metal goods, agricultural tools, and energy sectors. While textile industry products, leather industry products, iron, wine, and sunflower oil are generally subject to export in our province; textile machinery and spare parts, raw leather, chemical substances used in the textile and leather industry, industrial materials, and oil sunflower seeds constitute the import products.”

Avşar stated; “As for the agricultural production of our Tekirdağ, it is quite developed, and wheat, sunflower, canola, barley, and silage corn products make a difference in crop production. Tekirdağ, which also has significant potential in fruit production, grows products such as grapes, olives, walnuts, cherries, watermelons, melons, and table tomatoes. In our province, which has an important place in poultry and beekeeping as well as cattle and small ruminants, sunflower honey and beeswax production are also carried out.”

Stating that one of the clear examples of this situation is seen in the pollution of the Anadere stream, Avşar noted that 75 thousand decares of agricultural land belonging to 22 villages in the Karaiğdemir Dam irrigation basin in the Malkara district of Tekirdağ are seriously threatened by toxic waste discharged without treatment by the OSBs located in the region into the Anadere stream, which gives life to the region's agriculture, primarily threatening human health, agricultural lands, and living organisms. He listed the villages facing this threat as follows; “Soylu, Kurtdere, Hacılı, Delibedir, Canhıdır, Tatarlı, Susuzmüsellim, Umurbey, Yörgüç, Hayrabolu center, Çıkırıkçı, Temrez, Lahana, Karakavak villages within the borders of Hayrabolu District, and Karaiğdemir, Evrenbey, Kırıkali, Yörük, İbribey, Karamurat, Hacısungur villages and Büyük Mandıra Town (affiliated with Kırklareli Province) within the borders of Malkara District” and directed a series of questions to Minister Kurum on the subject.

Pointing out that neither industry nor agriculture can be abandoned in Tekirdağ, Avşar asked whether an inspection has been carried out to detect the pollution of the Anadere stream, which feeds the Karaiğdemir Dam, the status of identifying the companies causing the said pollution, and whether the necessary penal actions have been applied to these companies that do not comply with the relevant regulations and do not take sufficient measures.

Asking whether the necessary technical examinations and analyses have been carried out on the water of the Anadere stream used in agricultural irrigation, Avşar said; “Have any results such as toxic waste, etc., that would negatively affect agriculture and human health been reached in these analyses and examinations? If such a finding has been detected, has any measure been taken in this regard?”

Stating that there is an example like the Ergene River in the same region, which flows poison and poses great risks in terms of health, Avşar said; “Do you have any preemptive measures in terms of taking early precautions against the pollution of the Anadere stream, which affects 22 villages and 75 thousand decares of agricultural land in the Karaiğdemir Dam irrigation basin? Do you have a joint study with local governments and other relevant stakeholders on this matter?”