ÇEV-DER President Ali Kalçık stated that the Lake Van was rapidly being polluted and that it would become a swamp very soon if no action was taken. He added that all living beings would disappear.
Lake Van, the largest saline soda lake in the world, is a natural wonder with its islands, bays, beaches. All these makes it a tourism paradise. The pearl mullet fish living only in Lake Van is the source of livelihood of 30 thousand people.
Lake Van, which is a world heritage, is getting more and more polluted due to the surrounding settlements. Environmental associations and natural experts warn that if the pollution continues like this, Lake Van will turn into a swamp within 20 years and all living beings will be destroyed.
Van Environment Association (ÇEV-DER) has been struggling for years to prevent Van Lake from disappearing. ÇEV-DER President Ali Kalçık reminded that the Kurds call Lake Van 'Behra Wanê' (Sea of Van).
"Van has an area of 430 km. Today, indirect or direct sewage result of a population of 1 million 200 thousand flows into Lake Van. The most concrete example is that the treatment done does not work anymore. Some 800 thousand liters per second of domestic waste go into Lake Van. Besides, there are around 20 streams. Because of this Lake Van is on the verge of death."
Kalçık continued: "It is a brutal massacre of nature. People see the lake as a garbage pit. The waste of two provinces and 9 districts end up into Lake Van."
Kalçık stated that despite the Coastal Protection Law No. 3621, state institutions have occupied the coast.
