ELAZIG GUNISIGI NEWSPAPER - September 2010
LET'S NOT LOSE THE BULGHUR WE HAVE WHILE GOING TO DİMYAT FOR RICE…
There was a very beautiful television program about Istanbul during the holiday. It explained the underground mysteries of Istanbul, especially the underground works carried out during the Ottoman period, which were incredible. Clean and dirty water canals were running throughout the city from one end to the other. It was stated that these canals were large enough for an average-sized person to walk through. The cleaning of these canals was done periodically. In other words, from the very first day of the conquest of Istanbul, the Ottomans demonstrated a perfect example of modern urban planning in their capital.
It’s no coincidence that a small principality became a world empire. We can also see the same attention to detail and seriousness in the quality of construction. Despite major earthquakes, mosques, fountains, bridges, inns, and baths that have stood for centuries can still be counted. Preventing tragic endings can only be achieved by taking precautions before disaster strikes. These precautions will illuminate our future.
On March 8, 2010, the earthquake in Başyurt-Karakoçan devastated our country with sorrow. While many of us may have forgotten this pain, the villagers of Okçular, Tabanözü, Yukarı Demirci, Aşağı Demirci, Yukarı Kanatlı, and Aşağı Kanatlı have not. The pain of losing their loved ones was still very fresh. Our esteemed Governor Muammer Muşmal and the media organizations of Elazığ did not leave them alone during the holiday and ensured that they shared their grief with all of Elazığ. It seems that the pain of the earthquake remains with those who experienced it. On March 8, the state provided all its resources to citizens, and efforts were made to alleviate the pain as quickly as possible. After the earthquake, many meetings were held, and it was emphasized that the measures must be general and permanent. (Even urgent awards were given to those who worked hard…) And in the end, as always, the problem was shelved until the next time the earthquake reminded us of itself.
The causes of continuous budget deficits in our country are being examined, and new economic roadmaps are being drawn. According to a report by the Ankara Chamber of Commerce, by the end of 1999, Turkey had an internal debt stock of 42 billion dollars. The financial cost of the 1999 Marmara earthquakes to our country was calculated to be 20 billion dollars. From these figures, we can see the scale of earthquake risks and the level of urgency that needs to be on the national agenda.
It is commendable when individuals, institutions, or countries set very high goals. However, before embarking on these grand goals, weaknesses, shortcomings, and lack of precautions must be addressed. Otherwise, everyone knows that many people lose their bulghur while going for rice in Dimyat.
Today, Pakistan’s tragic situation is evident. Pakistan holds a special importance for the Turkish people. Our bond with them is based on history, heart, emotion, faith, love, and loyalty. The help through the Turkish Red Crescent will reach its destination as desired. The flood disaster has brought the country to the brink of collapse. We have full faith that the Turkish nation will do its part for Pakistan.
I would like you to remember September 2009. Istanbul was struggling with a flood disaster. The truck garage in İkitelli is still fresh in our memories. Perhaps if the rain had continued for a few more days, Turkey’s future would have been altered. After the flood, discussions on urban planning and development took place, but soon after, natural disasters were no longer discussed. Turkey has serious technical problems, and it cannot escape from these problems by avoiding them.
The year 2023 is on everyone's lips as the 100th anniversary of our Republic. It is seen as the target year for Turkey to be among the strongest countries in the world. Of course, our greatest wish is for this ideal to be realized. But are we taking the necessary engineering precautions to maintain our current state while running toward these goals?
In our country, urban planning, city development, construction, and infrastructure works fall under the legal and moral responsibilities of many institutions and organizations. The exam for these responsibilities comes with natural events like earthquakes, floods, avalanches, and landslides. The fact that these events are called natural disasters means that we are failing to pass the exam.
The first and last word: Preventing tragic endings can only be achieved by taking precautions before disaster strikes…