They took it with a spoon and gave it with a ladle

Details of the fine imposed on Alagöz Mining Company, owned by AKP Iğdır MP Cantürk Alagöz , for its environmental destruction in Giresun's Harşit Valley have emerged. The company, fined by one ministry, was then granted a new mining license by another.

Alagöz Mining Company applied for an environmental impact assessment (EIA) to the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change on October 30, 2023, for Alagöz's "lead, zinc and copper" mine in Çatalağaç Village of Doğankent District, where approximately 500 people live.

A fine was imposed for one of them

The application stated that another tailings pond would be built for the mine and the waste storage area expanded. However, before the EIA application was even finalized, the mining company illegally constructed two chemical waste dams. The mining company's illegal tailings dams have been documented with images.

A citizen filed a complaint with the Presidential Communications Center (CİMER) about a mining company's illegal tailings dams. The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change responded, "The company has been imposed an administrative fine under Environmental Law No. 2872 for the unauthorized tailings dam, and the operation has been extended. The EIA process is being conducted by our Ministry, and the process is ongoing."

IT ALSO RECEIVED A NEW LICENSE

According to information obtained by BirGün, the mining company was fined 193,522 Turkish Lira for just one illegal tailings dam. The ministry remains silent on the second illegal tailings dam.

The General Directorate of Mining and Petroleum Affairs (MAPEG), affiliated with the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, has granted Alagöz Mining a new mining license for precious metals, including gold, in Görele, Giresun.

CRIMINAL MINING COMPANY

On the other hand, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change took samples from the water resources surrounding the mine on April 18, 2024. As a result of the samples taken from eight points, it was determined that some values exceeded the specified limits and that the Derin Creek in the region was polluted due to mining activity.

Alagöz Maden was fined 464,585 TL based on Environmental Law No. 2872. The penalty report stated, "As a result of the implementation and findings, it has been determined that the surface water (stream) reaching the facility site has changed due to mining activity and acquired the characteristics of wastewater."

Moreover, Alagöz Maden, which had also polluted the stream the previous year, was fined only 54,783 TL. The reason for the fine was reportedly "polluting the stream with excavation, soil, and construction materials."

THE GOVERNOR VISITED

Giresun Governor Fatih Serdengeçti visited the mine, whose environmental and water pollution has been repeatedly documented, on January 28. Governor Serdengeçti shared photos of his visit on social media, saying, "We inspected the Alagöz Maden Doğankent facilities and received information from company officials about the ongoing work."