VW beetle festival and camping area in Black Sea wiped out by hydro plant construction

ORDU

An archive picture shows the camping area along the Turnasuyu River during a VW beetle festival three years ago. The area has since become a huge work site for a brand new HES plant. DHA photo

A new hydroelectric plant project (HES) on the Black Sea coast has this time managed to upset not only environmentalists and locals, but also hippy souls from the 1960s - staunch fans of Volkswagen’s legendary beetle cars.

Hundreds of trees have been felled since the construction for the Darıca 2 plant in Ordu province began two years ago, despite an ongoing legal battle launched by local activists. The project has also wiped out a camping area along to the Turnasuyu River, where a traditional VW beetle festival had been held every year.

The spokesperson of a local environmental association who took the project to the court, Gül Ersan, regretted the disappearance of the camp, which she said was an important touristic feature for the province. She also warned about the grave effects of plans to redirect the waters of the Turnasuyu River to another nearby stream.

“This will have very negative effects on nature at this site. As members of the platform, we have launched a lawsuit for the protection of the nature and the living spaces in Ordu. There are also locals who have opened lawsuits too, and we hope people living in the province will also be more sensitive about the case,” Ersan said.



The project was the subject of a parliamentary question two years ago, as it was planned to cut the natural flow path of the Turnasuyu River, a practice considered very destructive for the local ecosystem.

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy İdris Yıldız warned that the Çambaşı plateau would be at risk of drought without the Turnasuyu River’s waters, stressing that the increase in water at the Melet River could also cause danger.

“Are all the works about hydroelectric plants made only on the desk and in Ankara?” Yıldız had asked in his parliamentary question.

Dozens of hydroelectric plants are being constructed along the Black Sea coast, from the western Zonguldak province to the Georgian border in Artvin, many of which have prompted locals to launch legal actions.

The small plants on small water streams are criticized for producing only small amounts of electricity in return for irreparable damage to nature.