Taylan Yıldırım – Mücahit Bektaş / İzmir, Dec 21 () - In Aegean touristic town of Çeşme, inhabitants and activists debate that wind power plant projects , expanding their presence in the region, could cause health problems and affect people’s life spaces.

In İzmir’s green district, at least five plants in question could cause danger with their turbine poles to be erected and high-tension lines, urged a local tourism association’s vice president, Hüseyin Boyacı. The energy to be stocked could turn into a nuclear plant in Kutlu Aktaş dam, he added.

While the population increases in the touristic district, wind power plants are high in the center of debates comparing to discussions on weak investments and boost in zoned houses in the region.

400 meters from city center

The construction areas are only 400 meters away from the city center.

Thus, environmentalists as well as inhabitants holding the lands where turbines will be erected have launched a legal fight against the plans. Some of these projects have been halted as court has adopted a motion for stay of execution. However, around 12 projects have been pursued in secret, while five of them were uncovered, said local reports.

In Sarnıç region, six of eight turbines are already completed.

If dozens of projects are brought into action, the natural hills of Çeşme will be full of turbines and “this will disrupt both human health and the environment” activists urged.

“No one is against wind power plants in Çeşme. We only object energy transmission lines to be installed through the city center and turbines to be erected within neighborhood borders, on hills. Turbines are planned to cover almost the whole city” Hüseyin Boyacı said.

The “wind syndrome”, a psychosomatic disorder primarily caused by anxiety stemming from low frequency noise from wind turbine “not heard but sensed” by people, was underlined as a risk, by Boyacı. Two years ago, transmission lines have caused fire, Boyacı added.

“We do not want wind power plants, which will affect our air and health. We are not against wind power plants, but this is not the right area to install them” said one of the locals, Emel Devin.

Another inhabitant, Nuran Erdan, raised concern on turbines’ adverse effects on agricultural areas and farm animals.

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