Diyarbakır solar energy project brought to Turkish Parliament

EMEP Gaziantep Deputy Sevda Karaca has submitted parliamentary inquiries regarding the allocation of over 540 decares of communal pasture land in the Kervanpınar neighborhood of Diyarbakır’s Sur district to Zenkar company for two solar power plant (GES) projects.

Karaca raised concerns that the 49-year production licenses for the Zenkar 1 and Zenkar 2 projects threaten local livelihoods by restricting access to grazing lands and agricultural areas for villagers. She noted that while legal processes against the allocation are ongoing, an expert committee had previously found the Zenkar 2 project unsuitable in its current form.

The inquiries target the Ministers of Energy and Natural Resources, Agriculture and Forestry, and Culture and Tourism. Karaca requested clarification on the legal basis for changing the pasture status, the impact on local livestock and meat/milk production, and whether the company’s alleged political connections influenced the decision. Additionally, she requested an archaeological investigation of the site due to the presence of stones suspected to be fossils.