Translated by Fethiye area news from the Mayors statement:
Here is the statement from the Mayor, Alim Karaca, regarding the state of the Gulf of Fethiye, we have tried to condense it without missing the main points
Mayor Karaca stated that he has not made any explanation for 2 months in order to avoid any damage to the tourism sector. "We should not make political distinctions on this issue. If we are to clear the bay of this issue, the government, the metropolitan municipality, the district municipality and the NGOs need to solve this problem together. ”
Mayor Alim Karaca said that they closely followed the subject saying “There has been a huge amount of information about the pollution in the public regarding the colour change of the Gulf in Fethiye for 2 months. Pollution has been in the Gulf for years. Firstly, 'Why does Fethiye Municipality not explain for 2 months' I will answer the question. We have thousands of tradesmen who live on tourism and earn their livelihoods. As a responsible people, every word that comes out of our mouths is in the national and local press. On behalf of the future of tourism, we did not explain. However, we followed the issue closely. We are working hard on how to overcome this problem ”
Karaca stated that they were subjected to ugly and unjust attacks under the title of 'CHP municipalities' through social media and said, “We should not make political distinction here. If we are to clean the bay, the government, thr metropolitan, the district municipalities, the NGOs need to solve the problem here. But I regret to see that on social media false accounts state that the 'CHP' municipality' is the cause of the problem and we get the blames. Even the expression 'CHP municipality' is an indication that they are politically abusive. This is not about politics.
We are not looking for criminals. This is not a problem of the past 5, 10 or 20 years, but a problem from 50 or 100 years ago. Alluviums from the creeks and soils caused by erosion have entered the bay. Because of the build up in the bay the boats are having difficulty to navigate. Our Environmental Protection and Control Manager will soon release the scientists' reports. We need to trust the scientists. Because we see opinions coming out of everywhere. You've seen it on national channels. We cannot get anywhere just by accusing Metropolitan and MUSKI. The foundation of MUSKI is based on 5 years and the pollution of the bay is based on years. The Ministry monitors the water outlet values of the treatment plant online, the data can be accessed by the public ”.
Karaca referred to the promise made by the Minister of Environment and Urbanization to clean the Gulf of Fethiye. We will meet with the relevant Ministers. I'il see the President if necessary. We know the problem in the bay. When the Minister of Environment and Urbanization came to Fethiye, he made promises about the cleanliness of the Gulf. It is not possible to clean the Gulf only with the budget of Fethiye Municipality. I have already stated that it can be done with a figure of 125 million lira. However, these figures now exceed 200 million lira. Not only will we need to clean the Gulf, all the canals connected to the Gulf should be rehabilitated without being filled with concrete. I recently examined the canal passing by Erasta shopping centre and black water was flowing into it. I invite the authorities here to do their duty. Fethiye Bay should be cleaned and the streams and canals should be improved. If this is not done, it will be Fethiye that will be losing, not a political party losing. I have a request from members of the press.
The Mayor referred to the report of the 7 scientists from Gazi University, (that Fethiye Area News posted), adding, Fethiye Municipality is obliged to set up and operate the “Blue Card” system as Waste treatment Obligation for solid and liquid wastes originating from the boats, as required by the Waste Reception and Control of Waste from Ships. Apart from this, there is no authority to apply any inspection or sanction on Fethiye Bay under any legislation.
Although we have no jurisdiction, Fethiye Municipality, with the help of other professional bodies check the seawater quality, we have been monitoring these since March 2016, once a month in 14 different locations. Changes in physical and chemical parameters are observed, in addition, calculations related to current, wind speed and seasonal changes are taken into account by Gazi University. The current status of the water quality of the inner Gulf of Fethiye has been determined by all monitoring and measurement studies carried out by the University.
Municipality Environmental Protection and Control Manager, Selver Hatice Kabak, presented information about the sharing of duties and said, "that In the prepared scientific report, the agricultural discharge waters that are rich in nitrogen and phosphorus salts are carried by Murt Creek are directly deposited in to the Gulf of Fethiye. The pollution in Murt Creek alone has the potential to affect the inner Gulf of Fethiye. The other canals running in to the gulf carry the agricultural drainage waters of the entire plain directly behind the Gulf of Fethiye without having any treatment or sedimentation. Murt stream and the canals are the main source of pollution in the Gulf. ”
It was stated that more than one institution or organization is responsible for the prevention and control of land-based marine pollution and marine-based marine pollution in the Gulf.
The control of enterprises having treatment in places where there is no infrastructure in place is the responsibility of the Provincial Directorates of Environment and Urbanization,
Checking if wastes discharged from sea going vessels are discharged to the sea is the responsibility of the Coast Guard Command.
For development projects the responsibility is with DSI
The swimming water quality measurements are the responsibility of Fethiye District Health Directorate
The responsibility for the infrastructure is MUSKi.
Despite all these organisations having responsibilities the situation does not reduce our responsibility in any way, but the competent authorities in this regard, although more than one municipality is seen as the single most important responsible authority.
Kabak also related to the system in his assessment about the Blue Card, (already referred to by the Mayor), adding that this system was established in 2011 by the Municipality of Fethiye in Turkey for the first time and the system is working in a good way.
Muğla Deputy CHP Suleyman Girgin, said that in November 2018, the issue of Gulf of Fethiye was taken at the TBMM, Girgin said, “Tourism, Environment and Urbanization, also the Ministry of Transportation and have conveyed the status of the Gulf. The minutes of the Assembly are there. On November 5, 2018, we made a motion for a question. The motion was; 'The dredging of the sludge caused by environmental factors of the harbor of Fethiye and alluviums carried by the streams flowing to the harbor affects the sea traffic. We learned that a feasibility study was carried out for harbor floor sludge cleaning and dredging. We said "Was there a tender date for cleaning? We urge you to intervene in this matter urgently"
We forwarded this issue to the Minister of Environment and Urbanization. 'Although the Murt stream has been rehabilitated, there is still a need for an effective study for the disposal of alluvials and wastes from the stream. Prevention of environmental and marine pollution is important for Fethiye. Let's urgently intervene in this' we said.
in concluding it was stated that "We have to get together with all the institutions and clean up the Gulf. Our goal is not to blame someone elsr. This problem should be solved with the state budget. We have met with the Minister of Environment and Urbanization and I said to him, “We will be an embarrassment to the world as soon as it is forbidden to enter Fethiye Bay for swimming. We will need to start to work on the cleanliness of the Gulf of Fethiye'. We have expressed this to the Minister and we hope that he will follow this promise ”.
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