ISTANBUL, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Turks are crying louder against the destruction of a large forested area in the northwestern province of Canakkale for the construction of a gold mine by a Canadian company.
Several environmental organizations revealed recently that the Canadian Alamos Gold Inc. has chopped down nearly 200,000 trees in a wide-range area in Canakkale during the construction of a cyanide gold mine.
After the images showing a widespread demolition of the area went viral on social media last week, the groups launched a protest movement which later turned into a massive wave of demonstrations across the country.
Some flocked to the region to take a stand against the mining activities and started a campaign dubbed "Water Watch."
"Our 7/24 guard will continue until the company halts its entire activities," a protester told reporters on the scene.
In its latest press release, the Turkish Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion, for Reforestation and the Protection of Natural Habitats (TEMA) said the project is posing a severe threat to public health, as the mining site is getting water from Atikhisar Dam, the only water source for nearly 180,000 local residents.
The TEMA claimed that 20,000 tons of cyanide would be used and many heavy metals, such as arsenic, would surface at the location, some 30 km away from the center of Canakkale city.
Protests have been reported each day in different cities across the country, during which the protesters urge the authorities to stop the mining activities of the Canadian company.
"Forests belong to squirrels, not miners," "Do not touch my air, water, soil," read some banners held by protesters at a recent gathering in Istanbul's Besiktas district.
In a press statement, the protesters said the ecological devastation in the area is against human and animal rights.
Deniz Atac, head of the TEMA, stated that the Canadian company got an operating permit from the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources with a plan to cut down 45,650 trees.
"However, as a result of our investigation that we have carried out using satellite photographs, we noticed that the number of trees cut down was 195,000 as opposed to the initially agreed number," remarked Atac.
According to the TEMA, 98.7 percent of the construction site is forested area which hosts diverse species of animals and hundreds of distinct plant varieties.
In a written statement, the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry maintained that the number of trees felled was 13,400, while Canakkale's Deputy Mayor Irfan Mutluay said the destruction of the forest was much more than that.
"According to our calculations over the images received from drones, we assessed that the number of trees chopped down in the area was up to 195,000," Mutluay was quoted as saying by local media, echoing the TEMA's statement.
Some other environmental platforms argued that the actual figure was at least 200,000.
Nearly 100,000 people have signed an online TEMA petition calling on Turkish authorities to take urgent measures for nature conservation, while several hashtags have been created on Twitter to show solidarity with residents of Canakkale.
"Along the way, we witnessed a massive amount of destruction and pollution," a man tweeted about his impression of the affected Canakkale area. "The beautiful vineyards and strawberry fields are completely deserted."
