📩 09/07/2023 11:56
Mehmet Özhaseki, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, said that the only solution to the earthquake risk is urban transformation. Minister Özhaseki, who wanted to help the mayors who are transforming, said, “If our mayors do not engage in urban transformation, go knock on their doors and say 'start as soon as possible bro, why don't you do it'. Ask people who don't do it to account," he said.
Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Mehmet Özhaseki made a call for urban transformation by expressing that Istanbul should be prepared for the future by making urban transformation.
Speaking at the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the Sarıgöl Neighborhood Urban Transformation Project in Gaziosmanpaşa, Istanbul, Minister Mehmet Özhaseki gave important messages. Emphasizing the importance of urban transformation, Minister Özhaseki reminded that a group opposed and prevented the urban transformation planned to be made in Hatay in 2017, and said, “The Mayor of Hatay, Antakya, said that he will initiate a major urban transformation. An earthquake is also expected in Hatay. We will help, we will give money, we will support and the place will go into urban transformation. We went to the area in 2017. We came across a group that opposed urban transformation. I tried to explain to people how true urban transformation is for Hatay and Antakya. I tried to say imminent danger. I tried to explain that if there was an earthquake there in a few years, those buildings would collapse, souls would die in them, and all our loved ones would die there. However, with the provocation of those protesters and the provocations of ideologically obsessed groups there, our citizens said no, we do not want it. And they didn't do the urban transformation. And about 6 years passed, the earthquake happened. As far as I remember, they were İstiklal and Emek neighborhoods. There is not a single house in that neighborhood now.” he said.
Minister Özhaseki, calling on the citizens to help the mayors for urban transformation, said, “Around 800 houses in Istanbul have been renovated. But if there is an earthquake in the near future, we have to renovate almost 1,5 million homes in order to avoid a disaster. Among them, especially 600 thousand seem very urgent. If 2 buildings are destroyed in a street, they cut off life, transportation, natural gas and electricity there. The water will not flow. The sewer will not work. So please help our mayor friends. In fact, if our Mayors do not engage in urban transformation, my brothers from Istanbul, go knock on their doors and say 'start as soon as possible bro, why don't you do it'. Ask people who don't do it to account," he said.
“LET'S PREPARE ISTANBUL FOR THE FUTURE AT A MOMENT”
Addressing the mayors of other parties, Minister Özhaseki said, “Look, I am making a clear announcement to you. Regardless of party, if there is such an area of depression in their region, if there is an area that carries a risk, let them come to our Ministry, let them come and not be alienated. We will help you until the end. As long as they get to work. Let them give up on such an easy thing; 'Sir, this is urban transformation, rent-based transformation' is an evasive word of this business. No one is saying make a profiteering transformation. You act like a man, there is no annuity transformation. Let go of these evasive words, let's prepare Istanbul for the future as soon as possible.” he said.
“IN-SITE TRANSFORMATION IS ESSENTIAL”
Minister Özhaseki reminded the formula of 'Transformation in Place' that will be implemented on July 15, and concluded his words as follows: “In situ transformation is essential. No one wants to break away from their memories like it is here. He doesn't want to go far. If a citizen wants to build his own house in those earthquake zones, we will continue to pay half of the cost as a grant and the other half with a 2-year grace period and a 10-year term. We have four red lines. From now on, housing will never be built without paying attention to the ground. Housing will never be built on fault ruptures. It will never be possible to build houses in stream beds and in places where there is liquefaction in the ground. Yes, the ground will be solid, but if you don't do these works according to the standards of this job, it is a disaster. The quality of the concrete is important, its bonding is important. It is also important to comply exactly with the engineering calculations to be made there. By paying attention to these, we will hopefully continue our construction in the coming days with zero tolerance and we will heal these wounds in a very short time. No one should be worried about that. We are working day and night, we will do those jobs and we will get through them.”
Underlining that urban transformation is not something that everyone can do, Minister Özhaseki thanked Gaziosmanpaşa Mayor Hasan Tahsin Usta for his work on this issue. Minister Özhaseki laid the foundations of 1 residences, 328 shops and a parking lot with a capacity of approximately 863 cars, with a total investment value of 28 billion 1000 billion liras, which would later secure the future of Gaziosmanpaşa.