The Economist: Turkey earthquakes show deadly dimensions of construction fraud

The Economist magazine wrote an article about the earthquake in Kahramanmaraş. The news, which also included impressions of the earthquake region, also included analysis of Turkey’s construction industry.

In the analysis titled “Turkey Earthquakes Show Deadly Dimensions of Construction Fraud”, there are claims that “The biggest cause of deaths may be poor construction standards, corruption and bad policies”.

EVERYONE HAS A PART OF THE PASTRY

While it was stated that this situation is part of the Turkish economic model based on building and renting, the following views were included in the analysis:

“According to analysts, the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan bears most of the blame. But previous rulers, municipalities, contractors and planners, some led by the opposition, are also to blame. Urban planner and academic Murat Güvenç said: “This is a big crime. Everyone has a piece of the pie, he says.

Turkey has strict regulations that were adopted and updated five years ago, after the 1999 earthquake that killed nearly 18,000 people. As part of an urban transformation plan designed by the Erdogan government, more than 3 million homes were renovated.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH

But the problems lie in implementation and control. Building permits are easy to obtain and inspections are weak. Güvenç says that projects generally meet the standards at the start of construction, but lose this compliance at the end of construction.

As soon as the inspectors leave, the contractors reduce the quantity and quality of the iron they use. Or by reducing the number of bars that prevent beams and columns from bending under pressure. He then engages in informal negotiations with the local authorities. This is the difference between life and death.

urban amnesties worsened the situation

The construction of amnesties, which searched unlicensed or violating properties for fines, further worsened the situation. The Erdogan government has issued several amnesties in this way, most recently in 2018.

The opposition also supported the move, as it was popular with the electorate.

Pertinent institutions revealed that more than half of the country’s housing stock does not comply with construction regulations”.