MUĞLA - The signatures of 16,765 people gathered against the construction on the banks of the Kadın Azmağı were given to the Ula Municipality and Muğla Governor's Office and the authorities were called to duty.

 

Muğla Environment Platform (MUÇEP) activists made a press release in front of Ula Municipality against the construction on the banks of the Kadın Azmağı in Akyaka Neighborhood of Ula District of the city. Senem Aksakal, on behalf of the defenders of life, read the statement, in which the banner with the words "Our living spaces are our commons" and "Lets Muğla stay as heaven" was unfurled.

 

Officials were called to duty in the statement made after 16,765 signatures were delivered to the Ula Municipality and Muğla Governorship of the petition titled "Take your hands off on the Kadın Azmağı", which was launched two months ago.

 

‘Living spaces occupied’

 

Senem stated that the businesses on the edge of the Kadın Azmağı, which is located in the Gökova Special Environmental Protection Zone, are occupied in violation of the Coastal Law, the Construction  Law and the provisions of Special Environmental Protection. Senem said: ‘’The reeds are cut, the streams are filled, and the living spaces of living creatures are destroyed by turning them into commercial areas. These unlawfulnesses, which have been passed over with fines, which have been accepted as rewards by their perpetrators for years, are taking courage from impunity, destroying nature more and more aggressively and increasing their occupation.’’

 

Call to ‘remove occupations’

 

Senem continued as follows: ‘’Don't be a spectator to the breaking of laws and unlawfulness any longer. Remove all illegal occupations in Azmak based on the determined Azmak Coastal Edge Line. Do not allow the destruction of the Azmak ecosystem, which is home to many plant and animal species that are protected by international conventions. Because there is no other Kadın Azmağı.’’

 

‘Gökova Special Environmental Protection Area Management Plan should be implemented’

 

Senem called on the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization to implement the 2020-2024 Gökova Special Environmental Protection Area Management Plan. Senem said that in accordance with this plan, it will be possible to remove the occupations of both excursionists and businesses on the Kadın Azmağı, in accordance with the implementation step titled ‘’Removing the unauthorized applications made on Azmak by the restaurants on the Kadın azmağı’’. Noting that this plan has not been implemented even though it has been more than a year, Senem said: ‘’Instead, the Ministry suspended the revision of the Akyaka Zoning Plan, which we, as Akyakalılar, filed a lawsuit to cancel. This revision plan does not meet any of the targets envisaged in the management plan. For example, instead of solving the property problems on the Azmak side and putting them under the rule and disposal of the state, on the contrary, it is concerned with creating more privatization and more rent pressure.’’

 

‘Not a coincidence’

 

Senem, who stated that the last remaining public spaces in Akyaka were included in the privatization program with the Presidential decision last week, it is not a coincidence that the areas to be privatized are at the junction of the Azmak with the sea, in the area where a marina is planned, contrary to the Aydın Muğla Integrated Coastal Areas Plan prepared by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. Senem said: ‘’It is clear that the government does not aim to protect neither Azmak nor Gökova Special Environmental Protection Area with its zoning plan revision and privatization initiatives, but on the contrary, it aims to transform the protected areas into profiteering areas. It would have implemented the Management Plan if it really intended to "protect". It would not have brought up the zoning plan revision and privatizations, which are completely opposite to this plan.’’

Senem finally said that as Akyaka residents, they will continue to follow the demands.

The statement ended with applauses.