Mayor İmamoğlu: Whomever you made a promise for Canal İstanbul, give it up

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Ekrem İmamoğlu has been holding a press conference once in six months since he was elected the Metropolitan Mayor of İstanbul from the main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) Nation's Alliance with the İYİ Party in the repeat İstanbul election on June 23, 2019.

"18 Months on the Path to Just, Green and Creative İstanbul" was the title of the third conference yesterday (December 24). Making a presentation, İstanbul Mayor İmamoğlu gave information about the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality's (İMM) activities over the past 18 months.

Talking about what he and his 102-member team had done so far and would do from then on, Ekrem İmamoğlu said: "We know very well that the ones who have forgotten to answer to the public for their actions are tainted after some time and they engage in all types of inappropriate activities to stick to the positions that they took up temporarily."

'We don't need irrational projects'

In his speech, İmamoğlu also talked about the Canal İstanbul project, which foresees an artificial sea-level waterway between the Black Sea and Marmara Sea. Having expressed his opposition to the project on several occasions, İmamoğlu said that they would continue to object to it.

Referring to the project as a "trouble" and "a dagger intended to be thrusted into the city's heart", İmamoğlu said that the project "meant nothing other than harming the billions of years long natural structure and tens of thousands years long history of İstanbul."

"I would like to make a warning to the authorities: Don't do it," Ekrem İmamoğlu said and briefly added:

"Please don't betray this city, this nation and this history again. İstanbul, İstanbulites and this beautiful country do not need irrational projects.

"İstanbul is not a place where you can get up to a political arm wrestling. Regardless of your aims, motivations and interests, it will not be worth it.

"No matter what decision you made and whomever you made a promise, give it up. Stop, now. This nation will not forgive you today or tomorrow."

Latest developments about Canal İstanbul

Tender won by Rönesans Group

The tender lodged by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Directorate General of Highways for constructing the "Northern Marmara Highway (including 3rd Bosphorus Bridge) Project Nakkaş-Başakşehir (including link roads) section" with build-operate-transfer model is won by Rönesans Group, which also undertook the construction of Presidential Complex in Ankara.

Afterwards, it has been understood that these roads are the roads of "New City" (Yenişehir) which will be constructed as part of Canal İstanbul.

Nadir Ataman, an İstanbul Metropolitan Municipal Council member from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), has said, "With the road tender lodged with the model of build-operate-transfer, it is seen that citizens will pay even to see the Canal İstanbul New City."

Drinking water basin zoned for construction

According to the 3rd stage plans of Canal İstanbul project covering 10 villages, Sazlıdere Dam, which partly meets İstanbulites' water needs, will be completely destroyed as it will be a part of the canal.

With these plans, the drinking water basins around the dam will also be zoned for construction. It is understood that when plans were still pending evaluation and objection, annotations were put on the title deeds of citizens.

The plans also foresee the construction of buildings with "a ground floor + 3 floors" around Canal İstanbul.

İt is also seen that no solutions have been developed to save the Şahintepe - Yarımburgaz Cave, where the first settled life started in the region 400 thousand years ago. In the current situation, Yarımburgaz Caves might be destroyed as a result of the project.

The 3rd stage plans of the project cover an area of 5 thousand 893 hectares and 10 villages, namely Çilingir, Dursunköy, Hacımaşlı, Hadımköy, Haraççı, Sazlıbosna, Güvercintepe, Kayabaşı, Şahintepe and Şamlar.

The village settlements it Hacımaşlı, Sazlıbosna and Çilingir and agricultural fields in Dursunköy and Şamlar are also a part of the plan.

An agricultural field of 10 thousand hectares will be lost

With these plans, several agricultural fields, pasturelands and several other sites have been zoned for construction. While a road is to be build on Çilingir Village Cemetery, the villages on the route of Canal İstanbul project have been completely changed with the new plans.

According to the data of the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality, when the 1 to 100,000 Scale Environmental Plan for İstanbul dated 2009 is examined, it is seen that the total amount of agricultural land was 11 thousand 218 hectares.

However, when the plan change as to Canal İstanbul in 2020 is examined, this figure drops to 733 hectares. In other words, an agricultural field of 10 thousand 485 hectares will be lost as a result of the project.

In the plan dated 2009, the total amount of forestland was indicated as 2 thousand 984 hectares; but, when the plan change dated 2020 is examined, it is seen that this figure also drops to 2 thousand 134 hectares. So, with Canal İstanbul project, a forestland of 850 hectares will be lost.

As for pasturelands, it will drop from its former amount of 497 hectares to zero (0) in 2020. That being the case, the villagers living in the region will no longer have lands to graze their animals when the project is completed.

While the planned land in the project site was 12 thousand 509 hectares, it has increased to 35 thousand 714 hectares after Canal İstanbul project, which will lead to construction in and around the project site.

While an area of 2 thousand 526 hectares is now open to construction in the region, this figure has reached 9 thousand 446 hectares with the project.

It foresees 1.2 million additional population to come to the city.

CLICK - What does draft legislation on Canal İstanbul foresee? What are the latest developments?

(DŞ/SD)