Sincik residents protest water diversion project

Residents and village heads in the Sincik district of Adıyaman are protesting a project designed to divert spring water from Teşikan Yaylası to the district center. Five village mukhtars and local citizens held a press conference to demand the project be halted, citing concerns over their livelihoods.

According to Doluca Village Mukhtar Ramazan Yıldırım, previous diversions already provide four to five times the drinking water needs of the approximately 5,000 residents in the district center. Locals fear that diverting additional sources, which may also be intended for future irrigation, will leave the plateau without sufficient water.

The community relies heavily on the plateau for livestock and beekeeping during the summer months, producing honey, cheese, and oil. They argue that while they do not oppose meeting the district center's drinking water needs, the project must ensure that the water requirements for local agriculture and animal husbandry are protected to prevent economic hardship.