Irrigation canal turns green, emits awful smell

EDİRNE

As seen every year with the arrival of spring, Bayır Creek, an irrigation canal drawing water from the Tunca River in the country’s northwest, has turned green once again due to pollution, with annoyed locals complaining about the awful smell coming from the canal.

Used for irrigating agricultural lands in the northwestern province of Edirne, Bayır Creek has turned green in color due to uncontrolled pollution.

In the Yıldırım neighborhood, the surface of the river, which is polluted by facilities and domestic wastes in the region, is covered with algae.

With the complete cessation of the flow in the discharge channel, which the State Hydraulic Works (DSI) and municipal teams cleaned last year, garbage lying underwater also came to the surface.

Residents in the region complain that the odor from the river and the increasing number of flies due to the rising temperatures in the region have become unbearable.

Şaziye Eskitürkoğlu, who lives in the region, stated that they could not open their windows at night due to the stench from the canal.

“They cleaned it once. After that, no one came or cleaned it again. They even collect our garbage only when we call them,” Eskitürkoğlu said.

Kasım Şekerli, another resident, stated that the canal has been in the same condition for years.

“This drainage canal has been the same for years. It has sewage waste, frogs, snakes, garbage, flies and much more. In the evening, we cannot sit outside because of the flies. There are all kinds of diseases. We have been asking for a solution from the authorities for years.”

Recalling that the canal was once sparkling clean, Şekerli said they even used to have picnics by the creek, but that was a long time ago.

“We want our neighborhood to be in a hygienic state, where people can live properly,” Şekerli added.