SCORES of Didim nature lovers an concerned environmentalists turned out last Sunday to protest at the declining state of Lake Bafa.

The group Bafa Lake Rescue and Survival Platform emphasised the environmental pollution they allege is in the lake and carried out a protest called “Last Scream” – a nod towards the fact that the natural habitat of the lake is in serious jeopardy.

Voices reported in June how the region’s Protection and Nature Lovers Association (EKODOSD) had called for immediate action to curb further problems at the lake and to its natural habitat.

The association claimed blooming algae since at the start of June had caused dead fish to float to the surface, indicating a pollution problem.

According to experts, the lake is now showing signs of “eutrophication,” a process caused by an excessive proliferation of phosphate that could turn it into a swamp. They urged the adoption of quick measures to prevent the extinction of fauna in the area. 

The contamination of the lake is mainly due to the increasing use of pesticides at farms in the provinces of Aydın, Uşak and Denizli, which are then carried via tributaries of the Büyük Menderes River.

“The proliferation of poisonous algae that started years ago along the coast near the villages of Kapıkırı and Gölyaka has now started covering the surface of the whole lake.

Last Sunday, Bafa Lake lovers joined hands to form a human chain and staked out an 18-hour protest on the shores of the Lake. Local media suggested about 700 people were in attendance.

Platform spokesman Zuhri Donmez said Bafa had been established for nearly 2000 years, but due to human intervention, its natural habitats were at point of complete collapse.

He said: “Bafa Lake is dying and people need to wake up that issue. It urgently needs to be rescued and necessary measures need to be taken to protect the environment.”