COMMON REPUBLICAN FORUM ON THE PROBLEMS OF FLOOD ZONE

    Common republican forum `Problems caused by the flood of Kura: present situation and ways out of situation` took place in Landmark Business Center. The forum was organized by the Open Society Institution and `Kura` headquarters of civil society. Representatives of state structures, civil society and people suffering from the flood participated in the forum.
    The participants noted that it was not right to estimate it as a natural calamity. Most of them consider that the flood has been caused by ineffective management.
     Director of Turan News Agency Mehman Aliyev said that initial investigation of the representatives of civil society showed that the problem is that the branch of Kura has not been cleaned, no reinforcement works were conducted, water reservoirs were not repaired, and funds were not used effectively.
     `In 2005-2010 approximately one billion AZN (750 million AZM from state budget, 200 million AZN foreign credits) have been spent on creation of water economy. To eliminate the consequences of the flood which happened in May the Milli Mejlis allocated from the state budget 300 million AZN.
    `Kura` civil society conducted monitoring in 2,200 economies and made acts on each of them. Police evicted monitoring group form the flood zone and did not allow completing monitoring.
     Head of monitoring group Ogtay Gulaliyev noted that the caused damage was not estimated objectively. There are violations in making compensation; there is corruption and facts of embezzlement. Compensation does not cover the damage, and ecologic situation in the region is very hard.
     `The government must conduct urgent measures, to strengthen control over the use of budget funds, to file lawsuits because of corruption and embezzlement, ` he said.
     Representative of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies Novruz Mamedov noted that post offices paid compensation to 5,403 sufferers in eight regions.
     `99% of compensation were paid, and only 266 people did not receive compensation; 22 of the died, and addresses of 77 have not been determined; nine people rejected compensation. He refuted accusations due to violations during the issue of compensation. People put their signatures when they got money, ` he said.
     One of residents said that people were given only half of sum, and the rest half was paid only after they complained to Prosecutor Office. Representative of Irrigation and Water Economy Abdurahman Hajiyev told about reinforcement works on dams, for which three million AZN have been allocated. `After 1998 the works were suspended and resumed only lately. In Sabirabad region 32 km were repaired, and in Saatli- 68 km along the river bank. `
     Human rights activists Azad Iskenderli asked the residents if the reinforcement works had been conducted and they gave negative answer. Representatives of local communities told about social situation in the flood zone, not paying compensation and illegalities. Sawing areas are not cleaned, there is not enough equipment, and ecologic situation is very hard.
     `My family did not provide any assistance. We had to live in the street, and we do not have products, said the resident of Dallar village of Saatli region Khanim Jalilova.
     The situation in the flood zone is worsening and will be worse in autumn. `Organs of local power do nothing. Inform the government about it,` said the resident of the village of Meyniman of Hajikabul region Gulbahar Guliyeva.