ECO-TURKEY

“Koza Mining will make the Kaymaz
neighborhood uninhabitable!”

Eskişehir Nature and Life Platform in action: The judiciary rejected the expansion of Koza Mining's operations in the Kaymaz neighborhood of Sivrihisar district - but construction continues!

Sakarya Valley should   not be destroyed

The capacity increase project of the gold and silver mine owned by Koza Mining in Kaymaz, located in Sivrihisar district of Eskişehir province, was blocked by the judiciary. The "EIA positive" decision given by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change was annulled by the Eskişehir 1st Administrative Court.

However, construction continues despite the court's ruling. On December 19, Eskişehir Nature and Life Platform protested against Koza Mining's defiance of the law. Life advocates stated that administrative authorities should seal the construction under such circumstances. Their statement included the following:

"The Eskişehir Provincial Directorate of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change remains silent in the face of the implementation of a canceled project despite the court's suspension ruling. It does not refrain from using its public powers for the benefit of the company. However, its fundamental duty is to protect the city's natural resources. As a platform, we are following with concern the association of a state organ with unlawful actions and scandals.

Our city, our country, our collective interests are being plundered for the profits of a handful of capital groups through actions that disregard public will. Even court rulings are ignored in this process. And administrative powers are being placed at the service of corporate interests. We reiterate once again that we will continue our democratic and legal struggle against this system."

How Will the Project Affect the Environment?

The statement explained the environmental impacts of the project as follows:

"According to this project, 2.7 million tons of ore from Çanakkale, 490 kilometers away, would be transported to Kaymaz by 149 trucks every day and 'processed' there: For this, a third toxic waste dam with a capacity of 5.5 million cubic meters, which is irreparable, was planned. This hell of poison, which would fill up after a while, was planned to be followed by new ones. In other words, tens of millions of cubic meters of toxic material would completely destroy nature, rendering agricultural lands and pastures unusable, making the region uninhabitable.

Considering that the mineral mined 490 km away would be transported and processed in Kaymaz daily by 149 trucks, and the toxic waste would be stored there, the project essentially means turning the entire Kaymaz neighborhood into the company's toxic waste dump.

Since the beginning of gold mining, the number of people dying from cancer in Kaymaz has risen to 60-70 per year: It is clear that the mining company's profit drive disregards not only the natural life of the region but also the lives of people."

(Source: Sendika.Org, December 20, 2024)