Striking questions and solutions regarding the earthquake from Istanbul Planning Agency President Gökçe

Gökçe, who made striking observations regarding the earthquakes that affected 11 provinces and caused the loss of more than 50 thousand of our citizens, made important evaluations based on the question, 'Where did it go wrong?' 

Gökçe shared the following statements on his social media account:

On February 6, we experienced a great disaster in which 13 million of our citizens living in 11 of our provinces were affected, more than 500 thousand houses were destroyed, and we lost more than 50 thousand of our lives.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO CAN HEAR MY VOICE? This sentence echoed in the regions devastated by the earthquake on August 17. On February 6, that painful question of the August 17 Earthquake was replaced by a terrible cry for help: IS THERE NO ONE TO SAVE US?

How did we go backward in disaster preparedness and coordination in 24 long years, and lose our right to safe protection and housing?

The central government's wrong decisions, the failure to take scientific warnings into account, AFAD being unprepared and inexperienced for such an earthquake, the TSK (Turkish Armed Forces) not being deployed to the field, the silencing of social media... The most important reason is wrong budget decisions and unplanned housing policies. 

What could have been done? With legal regulations, earthquake-resistant buildings, renovation, transformation, training search and rescue teams for earthquakes, finding and using finances correctly, and with rational and scientific definitions, we could have made the country we live in safer for our people.  

So where did it go wrong?

After the 1999 Marmara Earthquakes, 45 laws and 11 regulations were enacted. The State Planning Organization was closed. The state's mind was left without a plan. TOKİ's rights were expanded.

So what would have happened if social housing had been built with the public's money and budget? How would the picture have changed if resources were used effectively, correctly, efficiently, and for the benefit of the public?

48 billion dollars were taken from the nation with the Currency Protected Deposit absurdity and given to a handful of elites. With this money, 761 thousand 904 houses could have been produced. 

If our Earthquake Taxes had not gone to double roads as the Minister announced, 619 thousand 47 social houses could have been produced with the 39 billion dollars collected in 24 years.

The money spent for the interest expenses of the 2024 Central budget was 1 trillion 254 billion TL. If the country were not managed poorly and the interest cost were not raised this much, 568 thousand 707 social houses could have been built with this money.

Between 2019 and 2022, the General Directorate of Highways' Public-Private Partnership Projects Budget was 220 billion TL. With the money paid by the Treasury for roads with passage guarantees, that is, roads, bridges, and tunnels we do not use, 99 thousand 773 houses could have been produced.

If the 5.2 billion dollars collected with the Zoning Amnesty, called Zoning Peace, had been used to reduce earthquake risks as stated in the justification of the Law, 82 thousand 539 houses could have been built.

If rent operations had not been carried out in 140 areas in Istanbul for 25 years, 1 million 349 thousand 206 houses could have been offered to our people with the 85 billion dollars of rent produced.

With these large resources spent in total, 3 million 481 thousand 179 houses would have been produced, all houses in all of Turkey would have attained disaster safety, and no one would have had to live in their coffin!

The most important problem of our country is where and on whom the state's budget is primarily spent. The old mind used the budget and resources only for its own group, its own cronies, and in line with its own interests. Some won, Turkey lost.

The new mind will use resources for 86 million and our future. Turkey will win, 86 million will win.

?? 6 Şubat Günü, 11 ilimizde yaşayan 13 milyon vatandaşımızın etkilendiği, 500 binden fazla konutun yıkıldığı ve 50 binden fazla canımızı kaybettiğimiz büyük bir felaketi yaşadık.

??SESİMİ DUYAN VAR MI? 17 Ağustos’ta depremin yerle bir ettiği bölgelerde bu cümle yankılandı. 6… pic.twitter.com/a9Agfo6PRt

— Doç. Dr. Buğra Gökce (@gokcebugra) February 5, 2025

News Source: 12punto