A PETITION giving people the opportunity to sign for and against proposals to site an open prison in Didim has been launched this week.

Didim Town Council is organising the petition signing – a stand will be outside the town’s Main Mosque, in Yenihisar, for the rest of the week.

In the meantime, the council is attempting to find out further information about interior ministry plans to use nearly 10,000 acres of government owned land between Tasburun and Akkoy for the open prison.

The location is on the way to the Aqua Park, past Mavisehir. The allocated area lies on a hill and less than three kilometers from the Aegean shoreline.

It was suggested back in 2014 that prisoners would be used to contribute in the development of olive cultivation and animal husbandry.

Planned location of the open prison, close to Mavisehir

After adverse publicity, the plan was dropped. But it appears to have resurfaced and the ruling CHP party in Aydin is now being tasked to bottom out the truth of what the government plans to use for the land.

Didim Mayor Deniz Atabay is due to meet the Aydin Governor to oppose the project, given that it also covers part of the protected Sacred Way.

On the petition, Didim City Council president Osman Ayyıldız appealed to the general public to back the appeal for signatures, so the local authority could gauge public reaction.

He said it was also an opportunity to find out alternative uses for the land and he would be taking that back to the necessary ministries in due course.

He said Didim was officially declared a tourist town back in 2005 and its ‘life source’ was tourism-related.