Protest against illegal power plant

20 thousand people protested against the mobile power plant in northwest Samsun’s Tekekoy district where it started operation since late February. The plant engenders environmental and health hazards the demonstrators say.

”The deputies saw the crowded protest with their own eyes. The power plant must be shut down,” says Metin Telatar, head of the Samsun Environmental Solidarity Association.

Three students were arrested

Demonstrators rallied on Sunday urging that the power plant, which is still lacking a proper filter system and filtering chimneys, be closed down.

Police intervened to deal with the traffic problems caused by the closing of the main street due to the large number of protesters. Three students were arrested.

Remove the power station

“The locals join the protest in mass to get the plant immediately closed down,” said Metin Telatar in an interview on Istanbul based Ozgur Radyo.

“Deputies from the ruling AKP (Justice and Development Party) and the main opposition CHP (People’s Republican Party) were there. They have witnessed the public opposition with their own eyes. There is a massive dissent amongst the citizens. This mobile power station must be closed down,” he told.

Complaints to those responsible

Referring to the Ministry of Energy's approval for the opening of the power plant, “we will continue to try and have the power station removed,” Telatar told. “And those responsible should be tried.”

“It was illegal to be selling electricity from a power plant which had not yet been granted an official operating license,” Telatar told. “Therefore those responsible for the operation would be taken to court and held accountable.” (TH/EK)