Dersim at the grip of hydroelectric dams and mines 

2023-01-12 14:30:03


	 

	DERSIM - Dersim is at the grip of the to mining companies and HEPPs with a new rent project every day in Dersim.

	 

	While 6 dams and Hydroelectric Power Plant (HEPP) projects have been completed in Dersim in the last 10 years, the nature of the city is being donated to mining companies with new rent projects every day. The city is surrounded by lakes and climate change is created With the projects on the Karasu and Peri streams. Mineral exploration activities continue in dozens of uncontrolled and uncontrolled areas along the Eskigedik-Karagöz-Hasangazi-Kırklar line, which starts from the Pulur (Ovacık) Mercan Şahverdi-Işıkvuran region and extends to the skirts of Hel Mountain and Bağır Mountain in Pîlemûriye (Pülümür). Every day, a new project is added to the projects that will affect approximately 80 villages.

	 

	Haydar Çetinkaya, Chairperson of Munzur Wildlife Conservation Association, spoke to the Mesopotamia Agency (MA) about the destruction of the HEPP, mines and planned projects in the city.

	 

	PROJECTS ARE DESTROYING THE NATURE OF MUNZUR

	 

	Stating that the history of HEPP projects in Tunceli dates back to the 1800s as a result of his research, Çetinkaya said: “Today, the aim of dam and HEPP projects is to obtain more energy. It is to contribute with the energy obtained and to reduce the dependency. Although it is said to be economically oriented, it has very negative consequences. In the regions where the projects are implemented, villages are flooded. According to the Berlin Convention, the Munzur Valley is an important valley under protection. These projects are destroying the whole natural structure of Munzur.”

	 

	NEW PROJECTS ARE IMPLEMENTED

	 

	Noting that an application was made for the implementation of a new mining project in Büyükçeşme village of Pülümür district, Çetinkaya said: "The project covers a large area. The project is approximately 100 thousand hectares within the borders of Tunceli, which we have determined, and when the Erzincan and Mercan regions, including Munzur Mountain, are calculated, it corresponds to approximately 200 thousand hectares. The area covered by the project corresponds to 25 percent of Tunceli geography. Opening mines on the geography of Dersim will cause great destruction with these projects. It is home to the lushest oak forests in the geography and the habitat of thousands of wild animals. All of the remaining areas between Hozat, Çemişgezek, Tunceli center and Ovacık were donated to dozens of mining companies. The areas that were taken for sale are all the mountain ranges that follow the Munzur Mountains and extend towards the north, in the direction of Erzincan-Erzurum, and from there to Tercan. It starts from Kemaliye, forms the entire borders of Erzincan and Tunceli. There are dozens of projects on this mountain range. Every HEPP project to be built here is a blow to nature.”

	 

	'TUNCELİ WILL BECOME AN UNLIVABLE PLACE'

	 

	Adding that chrome quarries are also operating in the city, Çetinkaya said:“There are mining projects that have been operating for many years in Bardağı in the Hasangazi region, which goes towards the Çevlîk border, in the Karagöz region of the Pîlemûriye district and in the Tercan region. In the Coral region, unplanned mining works that have been going on since the 90s continue. The ones we mentioned are still ongoing projects. In addition to these, there are currently studies for the implementation of larger-scale projects. The infrastructure of the projects can be started at any time. If these are brought to life, Tunceli will become unlivable place.”

	 

	MA / Zerrin Sargut