Marmaris: The Conspiracy To Destroy The Tourist Industry, or A Potential Sex Bomb?
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Blue Flag awards that are handed out every year by the Environmental Education Foundation of Turkey (TÜRÇEV) depending on cleanliness of the water, environmental concerns, security, safety and services at beaches and marinas, were given to 47 beaches, marinas and coastlines in Muğla this year. Bodrum was awarded 29 Blue Flags and Antalya received the most number of awards with 127 Blue Flags.
Blue flag, which is an international eco-label in the field of environmental and human health, is the symbol of trustworthy waters on five continents and 41 countries in the world. 2,599 beaches and 644 marinas all around the world had a Blue Flag in 2006 and 194 beaches and 14 marinas had this flag in Turkey.
235 beaches and 14 marinas deserved to receive the Blue Flag award this year in Turkey. Turkey now ranks fifth among the countries with Blue Flag awards, up two places from where it was last year.
Blue Flag Today, But For How Much Longer?
The question now is, for how much longer will it be possible for the Mugla region, and Marmaris in particular to meet environmental standards. The reason for the concern isn’t the risk of pollution caused by sewage, or refuse created by foreign visitors but rather because in an unfathomable policy of stupidity permission has been granted for strip-mining to take place in the forests and mountains surrounding holiday resorts. They will be mining for manganese.
Professor Ahmet Ercan, known for his work in regard to earthquakes alleged that people who wander around a manganese mine in the Aegean town of Marmaris will witness an increase in their sexual prowess, leading people to go to the mine and fill their pockets and bags with pieces of manganese.
Ercan also said the mine which has not been in use for 65 years will have a negative impact on tourism if it is reopened, but his comments on sexual prowess influenced people more, the daily wrote. Ercan released his report on the mine in a press release issued in the mine and said that nowhere in the world are mines allowed to operate in tourist areas and national parks, however Turkish law allows such a thing. “Mining work is not quiet. It takes place with explosions and dust,” Ercan said.
Raw manganese sold at $50 per ton will not even earn revenue of $1 million in a year, while on the other hand tourism in Marmaris that is earning the country $1.5 billion per year could be harmed [by the mine], Ercan said. “Moreover there are manganese mines in various places in Turkey,” he added.
Ercan also said that manganese has numerous health benefits like every other mineral. “The greatest property of manganese is increasing sexual powers,” he said.
Opposition to the mining plans is growing and a web site has been created to provide information about the environmental impact.
Kindly note: The protest march in opposition to the mining proposals will take place next Sunday. Those wishing to take to the streets should be in front of Marmaris Tansaş at 13.00 hrs.
