Minister Mehmet Özhaseki: We do not want profitable transformation

Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Mehmet Özhaseki stated that there are around 30 million residences and 6 million workplaces across the country, and that 2 million of them should be replaced as soon as possible.

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Özhaseki noted that Turkey is an earthquake country and most of its territory is located in the first and second degree earthquake zone.

Pointing out that more than 70 percent of the population lives in these regions, Özhaseki continued as follows:

“In the last century, the number of devastating earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 or above is 60 in these lands. In other words, there are 1 or 2 severe, destructive earthquakes every year. The lines are clear. The Northern Anatolian and Eastern Anatolian fault lines and the Aegean. It continues to be active in the same places. What is our part? Being smart, taking precautions and making our residences and workplaces sound. So, what is needed? Urban transformation. There are currently around 30 residences and 6 million workplaces in our country. Some of them are risky. We especially need to replace 2 million as soon as possible. “We need to carry out the urban transformation correctly in all our cities, especially in Istanbul. Afterwards, we hit our knees a lot.”

“We do not want profitable transformation”

Referring to the urban transformation works planned in Istanbul, Özhaseki continued his speech as follows:

“They come out and say, ‘Sir, what you’re doing is not urban transformation, it’s profit-making transformation.’ I said in the parliamentary budget commission, ‘Republican People’s Party members, I ask you. You probably have 200-300 municipalities. Please let them start urban transformation, but for God’s sake, do not make profit-making transformation. We do not want profit-making transformation. Tell your mayors to start as soon as possible. They will provide all kinds of support. “I’m ready to give. As long as they prepare our houses for earthquakes.” Come on, unfortunately, there are none. There are obstacles here too. I know it too. Friends, whoever prevents us is to blame. Please start again. Do the calculations from beginning to end. Let’s take risks too. We do not start big projects easily. Because we are in an earthquake zone, but these places Let’s revive it. Two earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş occurred 9 hours apart. 14 million people were affected, but there was damage in 18 provinces. There are around 680 thousand residences and 170 thousand workplaces that have to be demolished. In other words, 850 thousand independent units have to be demolished. Material “The damage is around 110 billion dollars. There is no measuring tool to measure the moral damage anyway. You have lost your child. Your mother is gone, your wife is gone. Your loved ones are gone.”

Özhaseki, citing the work carried out by AK Party municipalities in the earthquake zone, said, “8-9 months have passed. The construction of more than 200 thousand houses continues. We will deliver 40-50 thousand houses every month, inshallah. Now we are building 100 thousand steel village houses. We went out to tender. “We will finish these houses in 6 months. In the meantime, we promised 1.5 million lira support to the citizens who say ‘I will build my own house’.” said.