MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Şirnex – The coal screening plants, which started to be established about 15 years ago in the village of Toptepe (Avgamasya) located between Şırnak province and its Cizre district, pose a significant threat to nature. There are 14 official and about 26 illegal coal screening plants in the region and they cause both air and water pollution. The coals carried by trucks cause dust pollution and it harms the surrounding vineyards and gardens. When it rains, coal dust gets into water supplies.

“We cannot open our windows due to dust”

Gurbet Sevim is one of the villagers. She told us that they have to wash their balconies three times a day due to the coal screening plants. The villagers have submitted many petitions but nothing has changed. “We have lived in this village for 20 years. We swallow dust every day. We have a house in Cizre but our gardens are here. The number of coal mines has increased since we moved here.”

“Our vegetables don’t grow anymore”

Gurbet demands their problem to be solved. The children in the village are constantly getting sick due to dust in the air. “Nothing grows in the village due to the coal dust. We completely wash the house twice a month, but it gets dirty in a short time due to the coal dust. We always keep our doors and windows closed. I wash the balconies three times a day but it is always dusty. Coal dust harms people, nature, and animals.”

“There is no life for us in the village”

Makbule Acu lives in the same village. She also complaints about the coal dust in the village. “We don’t want coal mines here. There is no life for us in the village due to the coal dust. There are coal mines everywhere now. We demand these mines be taken from here as soon as possible. We have submitted many petitions but nothing has changed. Coal dust gets into our water supplies. We cannot live here without purifying water.”