Ekrem İmamoğluMelen Dam Revolt

IMM President Ekrem İmamoğlu, took his staff with him and visited the Melen Dam, which he visited about 1 year ago and where he detected the cracks in his body. Stating that they conveyed their request to speak around a table to the General Manager of DSI regarding the re-tendered dam, İmamoğlu noted that they could not get a response. Imamoglu's reaction, "The answer given to us: 'Let's ask the Minister.' So sad. I don't understand what you are asking. We come to get information. So you asked; no answer. A week ago, we informed the Minister in writing that we wanted to come here and that we would like to receive information in case he made an assignment in this direction. There isn't even an answer. Mindfulness. May God give wisdom to such people. I condemn any bureaucrat who created and kept this dialogue alive. I condemn whoever is in charge. They're doing it wrong. We came here to talk about Istanbul's water problem. But today, they compelled me to make this statement here," he said.

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) President Ekrem İmamoğlumade inspections on October 19, 2019 at the Melen Dam and Hydroelectric Power Plant in Sakarya's Kocaali District, which is called "the project that will solve the water problem of the city". Imamoglu's visit brought up the fact that the project was stopped due to cracks in the dam body. Imamoglu came back to Melen Dam after about 11 months and once again examined the project, which was included in the 2021 investment plan, on site. During his visit to İmamoğlu in Melen, İBB Secretary General Can Akın Çağlar, Deputy Secretary General Arif Gürkan Alpay, İBB Sözcüand Chairman Advisor Murat Ongun, İSKİ General Manager Raif Mermutlu and Prof. Dr. Naci Görür was accompanied.

CIVIL ENGINEER OĞUZ: "THE APPLICATION  I AM NOT SURE IT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL "

İmamoğlu, who came together with the authorities in the construction site, received information about the history and details of the project from the civil engineer Selami Oğuz. Oğuz shared the following information with İmamoğlu and the accompanying delegation:

“We asked DSI General Manager 2 things. Someone; Is the reinforcement you will make the definitive solution? My current opinion; not the exact solution. Because I'm far from a lot of information. That information will give us informative information about the project designer who will come to me; then we will show our true opinion. However, due to my doubts, I can now say this: I am not sure that such an application will be successful. I do not want to be unfair to that institution in this regard. Because I am a member of that establishment. I do not want to be unfair to the General Manager of İSKİ either. This is an investment of the country. It is a technical event, a mistake has been made; get it right. This is our effort. The measures taken in the body of this dam, the stability problem; let's know it. If it is leakage problem with crack condition, let's know that too. "

OĞUZ: "WE MAY EXPERIENCE VERY BIG PROBLEMS IN THIS DAM IN THE FUTURE"

“This dam is in the earthquake zone,” said Oğuz, “It is right under the nose of the fault. There will be very strong earthquakes. We may experience huge problems in this dam in the future. We have time to live. I told the DSI Department Head, on the phone. I said, 'My friend; Look, if the settlements continue at this dam, wait for them to sit down; let this trunk sit. So let this floor say, "I will carry this body." If you don't expect this, strengthen the foundation floor. It is very difficult to strengthen the foundation ground in these conditions. Is it possible? It is possible, but very difficult. 'We do not go under the pressure, we go easy. We say that after 3-5 years, this dam did not work either; let's not say Istanbul has been waiting for this water for 20 years. I would like to summarize: The engineering department of DSI and the project bureaus should explain this clearly to the General Directorate of ISKI and defend this project. This is our request, ”he said.

İMAMOĞLU: "IT IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT CAN BE MEASURED WITH MONEY, IT IS A MATTER OF WATER"

Speaking after Oğuz, İmamoğlu emphasized that the purpose of coming to the region is to determine the current situation on the spot. Stating that they are looking for answers to the questions “What is DSI doing, what kind of road map does it have”, İmamoğlu said, “Because you know, almost every day, sometimes over and over, news such as 'thirst is waiting at the door', 'Dams have run out of full'. Now of course, the water issue is important. It is not a matter that can be measured with money, it is a matter of water. Of course, we have to manage the water, the water policies of our country as a whole, ”he said. DSI is undertaking the project, "one of Turkey's most legendary institutions" in the words that characterize İmamoğlu, the main focus of Istanbul's water problem was pointed out that Melen Dam. Sharing the information that Melen was included among the water resources for Istanbul with the decision of the Council of Ministers on 15 August 1990, İmamoğlu said:

"THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED FOR 30 YEARS"

“So this story is 30 years old. This problem has not been solved for 30 years, even when we hinted that 'This problem has been solved, it has been done', we skipped this place a year ago, we came. Of course, serious problems have occurred; there are cracks, there are problems. We asked, "What are you doing for a solution?" It was said, 'There is no decision for now. In fact, it was not even included in the 2020 investment plan. I said too 'Even if this begins, it is already 3-4 years to build.' After we expressed this process, it was included in the investment plan and then its tender was held on February 28 this year. It was re-included in the investment plan within a year. The tender was made, the site delivery was given, and now the contractor will start its work. In all probability, the dam will be finished in February 2023. In addition, the water will also be filled, which probably takes 1,5-2 years to fill this place with water. So, this dam, which will benefit Istanbul, has about 5 years, if everything goes well. Man gets sad. "

"WHAT TO ASK, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND"

Mermutlu told the DSI General Manager that they wanted to talk to him around a table, but they could not get a response. "It sohbetİmamoğlu said, “We did not want it that way”.

“We seem to be on the run right now. It's not a nice thing. Our IMM Secretary General, the entire board of directors of ISKI, our advisors, our deputy general managers, our related department heads; we are all here. Let's come with this delegation, let's discuss this business with DSI technically at the table, sohbet we wanted to. Because at the end of the day, this dam will pass from DSI to İSKİ with its money, the budget of the people of Istanbul. We will pay for this in accordance with the relevant law article. We have the right to learn about this. We have a meeting request here. There has been this insistence for a month. The answer given to us: 'Let's ask the Minister.' Very sad. What are you going to ask, I do not understand. We come to get information. Well you asked; no answer. A week ago, we notified the Minister that we wanted to come here and that we would like to receive information in case of an appointment in this direction. There is not even an answer. Keeping mind. May Allah give reason to such people. Here we will talk about the water of Istanbul. We are struggling to ensure that Istanbul's water is built on solid foundations. Experts of this business will speak and I will listen. I am not a technical person. Let's put it on behalf of my city, which is spoken like a legend for 30 years and 5 years, and if everything goes well, a dam every 35 years; they laugh. I condemn any bureaucrat who created and kept this dialogue alive. I condemn who, whichever officer. They're doing it wrong. We came here to talk about Istanbul's water problem. But here today, they obliged me to explain. "

"THERAPY IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEMS OF THE FUTURE"

Expressing that the climates are changing and droughts are experienced, İmamoğlu said, “We are destroying water resources. All over the world, in Turkey, let's let's look at the data in our hands; I mean, it's probably very sad. Unfortunately, issues such as extreme urbanization and so on put our country and the world in a difficult situation. Thirst is perhaps one of the most important problems of the future. Many measures, from consumption to protection of water resources and nature protection, are actually a holistic issue. We will not come to a table on such a crucial issue, but we will come for what I say "God" I say "I do not mind." Now we have listened to our teachers. We see that we currently do not have concrete information. We will be its followers. If necessary, let us make a written request to enlighten us about the whole process. Let's say that we ask our professors' questions to be given their answers to us on behalf of the people of Istanbul. Let's send this letter through our İSKİ General Manager. Unless we are given this enlightenment, we will not be sure about it. Technically, we cannot be sure when we look at these facts. Let us enlighten it, we are ready to contribute with all our sacrifices, even though we will contribute to its solution, ”he said.

"ISTANBUL WILL PAY THEIR MONEY"

Emphasizing that the money for the investments made in and around the dam will be paid by the people of Istanbul, İmamoğlu said, “Look, next year, we are holding a tender for the collection and discharge of the waste water in this region into the Black Sea. We do not stop. Investments have been made before us, they are still being made and will be made again. Look why are we doing the pumping station work? Because it will stretch. We are discussing this investment in order to be more cautious. So should we do it or not? We say 'we have to do it even though it is expensive'. Because Istanbul needs water. Because Istanbul is experiencing serious droughts from time to time. In 2007, we lived in Istanbul, where the dam occupancy rate dropped up to 8 percent. Therefore, our extraordinary effort will continue to prevent this to the people of Istanbul. Nobody should worry about this. But to come here today and discuss this, sohbet I pray to them again in this beautiful geography, for whatever concerns. May God give all of them reason. I am not saying anything else ”.

Following his statements, İmamoğlu, together with the accompanying delegation, inspected the ongoing pumping station and around the dam and received information from the authorities.