Protestors fighting plans for a new stone quarry in the mountains between Yeşil Üzümlü and İncirköy have been adapting their campaign to face new threats this week.
The battle dates back to 2007 when similar proposals were tabled and eventually defeated three years later on environmental grounds.
Another scheme was also seen off 18 months ago.
But developers appear undaunted by previous defeats and it has now emerged that another bid has been submitted for a larger quarry on the site and for permission to construct an asphalt plant and concrete factory at the same location.
Village residents and members of the local farming community fear pollution from the concrete and asphalt manufacturing plants will ruin air quality in the valley.
They are also worried the plant could damage crops and olive groves – some as close as 300m to the site – prompt a decline in tourism vital to the local economy and have a detrimental impact on property values.
The villages closest to the site include Yeşilüzümlü, Incirkoy, Korukoy, Bucak and Nif.
However, due to prevailing winds, some fear Çamkoy, Çatalarık, Günlükbaşı, Çalış and Fethiye could also be at risk.
The campaign has also pointed to the potential impact on heritage sites in the area and the risk posed to the Lycian salamander – a rare species of lizard resident in the region.
Once again, people with homes in the area are being urged to support the campaign, both by joining the protest group and donating to a fighting fund, which will help cover the costs involved in resisting the proposals in the courts.
The coffers were given a boost at the Üzümlü Mushroom and Dastar Festival earlier this month, where members manned a stall selling merchandise including T-shirts and hats emblazoned with the campaign’s logo.
However a UK GoFundMe page has also been set up for donations from UK residents and Turkish property owners who holiday in the area.
An appeal has also been issued for more bilingual members who can help with communication between Turks and non-Turks, all fighting towards a common cause.
A meeting of veterans from the 2007 campaign and administrators behind the campaign’s Facebook page this week was updated on current progress by Zeynep Ebru Aksoy from the Turkish opposition group.
She assured them the situation was under control and that she and lawyer Bora Sarica were in contact with a number of influential environmental groups and rallying support from the Turkish communities.
The meeting was also told all the local muhtars oppose the plant and the expansion of the quarry, and are also rallying their respective villagers.
Those who would like to get involved or know more about the campaign’s aims and objectives can attend a meeting at 3pm on Saturday, April 20, at the cultural café opposite the mosque in Üzümlü.
More information on the campaign is also available on its dedicated Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/923795221052514/
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