Kaya Yıldız

Racketeers are exploiting legal loopholes to grab lands on lakes and around dams that are drying due to drought and leasing them out for commercial agricultural activities, daily Milliyet has reported.

Those lands, which emerge when water levels in lakes or dams recede, are very fertile but they normally belong to the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSİ).

The deputy director of Turkey's General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works has banned the saying "Sudan Ucuz," which means "cheaper than water," from being used inhouse, drawing attention to climate change.

"This saying is now history here. Water is more expensive than anything and, in fact, everything," Kaya Yıldız told daily Milliyet.