36,000 trees will be cut for the Bilecik mine

For the copper mine, which is expected to be built in the Muratdere forests in the Bozüyük district of Bilecik, it is expected that 36,000 trees will be cut first. The project, which was shelved three years ago, was approved by votes from the AKP Party and MHP members at the Provincial General Assembly. However, the mayor of Bilecik, Semih Şahin, says: “We will oppose this for our future and for our children.”
22 November Sunday 2020

BİLECİK- The first ore exploration works started in 1998 in the forest area of ​​Muratdere village in Bozüyük district in Bilecik. Following the first studies carried out by Maden Tektik Arama (MTA), Stratex Madencilik San. ve Tic. AS. It resumed work in 2005 and operated until 2011. In 2012, Muratdere Madencilik San. ve Tic. A.Ş. bought the project while the development phase is still in progress.

While the company was doing drilling and engineering work in the field, Muratdereliler, who made a living from agriculture and herding, began to oppose the project in 2017. The villagers, who opposed the felling of 72 thousand trees, the expansion of the area until their animals graze and 7-8 fountains in their actions, finally succeeded in canceling the impact assessment report on the environment (EIA).
THE LOCATION OF THE PROJECT HAS BEEN CHANGED

Muratdere Mining, which changed location from the project three years ago, submitted an application to the Special Environmental Commission of the Bilecik Provincial Administration before submitting an EIA application. The commission, which visited the region with technical staff from the Provincial Special Administration, carried out an investigation in September. Non-governmental organizations and villagers who received this news said they were involved in the project by gathering in the square. Despite this, the Bilecik Provincial Assembly approved the project with nine no and 12 yes votes.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SALT WATER?

The nine members who voted “no”, Hüseyin Elmas, Osman Çetin, Mehmet Yılmaz, Janrat Karaahmet, Zafer Kurnaz, Necdet Yıldız, Orhan Uğur, Erkan Erdem, Şerafettin Turan made a joint written statement after the decision. “Today is a dark day for Bozüyük, for our region, for the future of our country, for the future of our children, unfortunately,” and drew attention to the fact that 36,000 trees had to be cut in the first place, 500 tonnes of clean water would be used in the treatment of the mine and it was not clear what the contaminated water would be.
“WE WILL STOP AGAINST THE MINE”
Semih Şahin

The mayor of Bilecik municipality, Semih Şahin, said in a statement to Gazete Duvar that the EIA report, which was canceled in 2017, was back on the agenda after three years and said: was again submitted to the Provincial Council for approval. I don’t think the members of the Provincial Council are sufficiently informed.

https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/bilecikte-maden-ocagi-icin-36-bin-agac-kesecek-haber-1505153