Natural wonder salt cave waiting to be opened for tourism
HÜLYA EMEÇ
IĞDIR (DİHA) - According to recent epidemology researchs, 10 percent of worldwide population is catching respiratory tract illness.
While asthma and bronchitis are at the top of the list of such diseases, also salt caves, which have natural wonder, are among the alternative cure methods except of written prescriptions for curing of diseases. Salt caves, in Turkey's Nevşehir, Kırşehir, Çankırı and Iğdır provinces, have become popular hangout for treatment of diseases for both local and foreign tourists. Five thousand years salt cave in Iğdır's Tuzluca district, called after the salt beds here, was closed to tourism. The salt cave was closed due to mining accidents after being specialized by the state.
Closed with a ridiculous reason
One of the managers of the salt cave, Sunay Taşdemir, states that there is 40 metres salt layer under and top of the cave and says, "There is salt cave at the south and east part of Turkey just in Tuzluca district. Over 80 percent of tourists didn’t go without visiting us, salt cave. But we are completely closed to visitors on grounds of the mine accidents." Taşdemir tells, "We explode salt by dynamites. Undersized vibrations occur during explosion. Not even a small peace of rock separates from ceiling. It has influence only at the place of puncture, but the state is considering the salt caves the same as mines in its mining law. Therefore, entries and exits are forbidden."
'May it be opened for tourism'
Taşdemir wants the natural wonder salt caves to be opened for tourism and concludes her speech by demanding, "It is not understandable to dehumanize up such a cave which is good to health. It should be permitted to people to build even rooms for use in the salt cave. And these should be opened for native or foreign tourists.”
(ka/nt)
