President of ölüdeniz Women Union, Nermin ünsal, and the management paid a visit to the Mayor of ölüdeniz, Keramettin Yılmaz at his office and voiced their complaints.
Headed by Nermin Ünsal Ölüdeniz Women Union stated their grievances on several topics including the pollution on the beach and the loud music played until the late hours. Nermin Ünsal spoke as follows, “If we are living in Ölüdeniz, then we should attend to our Ölüdeniz. Ölüdeniz holds a beach that promotes and introduces Turkey to the world. Before all else, our beaches should be clean. As an idea, Municipality of Antalya purchased a machine that collects cigarette ends out of sand. If need be, we should buy such a machine with the support and contributions of our public and bring this cleaner in Ölüdeniz. Besides, the existing sewage system needs to be extended with additional pipes leading to the wastewater treatment plant. The beach is such a mess now. People get drunk at nights and hurt themselves in this rubbish. The rented shops along the beach lack aesthetics since they do not earn enough to prettify their business. All of them are covered with plastic and we do not want to see plastic anymore. We do not want outdated tourism where parasols are fitted into dish pans filled with concrete. We can keep on marketing our rooms for £5 each or you throw your weight about this matter and take the necessary precautions to ensure a better and more profitable tourism.”
Mayor Keramettin Yılmaz delivered a speech on the subject as a reply and spoke as follows, “As everyone knows, Ölüdeniz has a beach but this beach is governed by Authority for Protection of Special Areas of Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Turkey. Therefore, we need to put what you state in writing and explain the situation here to Ankara where the Directorate of Authority is based. For the last one month, we have kept all kind of minutes on the Ölüdeniz beach, imposed fines to managers. These records were then sent to Muğla Governorship and the Ministry of Tourism. The principal mistake done here was to take this place and give it to the Authority for Protection of Special Areas which put it to tender. Toilets near the beach are for public and free, but they try to charge for using these facilities. And unfortunately, the beach is not in our responsibility. Of course, we continue the checks and regular controls but what you have just asked us to do are beyond our limits. We have been struggling to quit the tender for the beach for three years; this case is with the Council of State now and according to the latest news we had, the tender will be hopefully cancelled.”
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