Lake Van is Dying, Say Scientists
Asbarez Online
May 15, 2008
VAN (Combined Sources)–Scientists in Turkey have warned that Lake Van
in the southeastern part of the country will disappear in the next
10-15 years if no radical measures are applied to save it. Lake Van is
regarded the fifth biggest lake in Europe.
Lake Van, in the historic Armenian province of Vaspurakan, is the
cradle of Armenian civilization and has been the capital of various
Armenian Kingdoms throughout history. It is regarded as the fifth
largest lake in Europe.
The warning came from the Turkish Marine Environment Protection
Association (TURMEPA).
"According to expert reports…Lake Van will become a source of
pollution and will not be suitable to swim in," said TURMEPA Chairman
Esref Cerrahoglu. "Taking some urgent measures could save the lake,
which is an example of the very significant, historic and ecological
richness of the region. This is why we are also working for Lake Van
as well as our coastlines."
TURMEPA said its goal is to preserve the lake for coming
generations. It will organize special lectures for over 105,000 school
and university students and organize extensive clean-ups of the lake’s
shores.
As part of a project called "Limitless Blue," for the last two years
TURMEPA has been giving courses on the protection of the seas to
primary school students living on the coastlines. There were 105,000
students from Van who participated in one of the courses last week,
the Turkish Daily News reported.
TURMEPA currently works to safeguard a coastline of 8,333 kilometer
from Hopa to Iskenderun.
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