Moral earthquake

A strong earthquake took place on May 7 and May 18 in the north-west of Azerbaijan. The epicenter of the earthquake was in 17 kilometers to the south of the city of Zagatala; the tremors there were 5.5 on the Richter scale. 

Thousands of homes and 32 schools were destroyed or are in emergency in Zagatala and Gakh regions. 

The government promised to rebuild the houses by the winter and schools by the new academic year. Despite 250 million manat have been allocated for these purposes, the promises to build the houses were not fulfilled. The exact amount, cost, compensation is kept secret. Corruption, embezzlement of state funds, extortion, and fraud of officials is flourishing in the disaster regions. And all of this is controlled by the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES.)

The situation was aggravated after second 6-magnitude earthquake on October 14 in the Balakan region of Azerbaijan in the west, where 2.5 thousand homes and facilities have been destroyed or are in emergency. No assistance is provided to the victims is, they have been forgotten by the state.

Zagatala region – seven months after the earthquake

Seven months have passed after the earthquake in Zagatala region. During an earthquake on May 7 this year, hundreds of homes, schools, kindergartens and other buildings were damaged.  Thousands of people lost their homes, thousands of homes lost their owners. Immediately after the earthquake, the government made a decision to eliminate the effects of the disaster. President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on allocation of a large sum for the construction of destroyed buildings in the earthquake. Ilham Aliyev and other high-ranking officials visited the disaster area.  We visited the region exactly seven months after the earthquake. Contrary to statements by officials, we have witnessed a depressing situation in the area.

 Bias of officials from MES

During our stay in Zagatala we found that not all the houses destroyed in the earthquake were registered. According to residents, the commission started checking immediately after the earthquake, wrote a relatively fair conclusion. However, after some time, the situation has deteriorated dramatically. Then a new committee was formed, and its members gave a conclusion not based on the condition of the house, but on the basis of personal interest. A house of Yusif Hasanov, a resident of the village of Ashagi Tala in Zagatala region, was completely destroyed in the earthquake. There were deep fissures on the walls of the house, and the roof was completely destroyed. According to Yusuf Hasanov, his son and daughter- in-law  are afraid to live in emergency house, and live in a rented apartment. "I live with my wife in the room, which is located in the yard because  it is dangerous to live in the house  which can  collapse every minute." According to him, he has repeatedly appealed to the local office of the executive power and the headquarters of the "earthquake." "They do not respond to my request. I turned  to 112. I was told that my house will be repaired, but the repair of the house is not possible. Homes that are less destroyed  have been already demolished and rebuilt. I cannot understand why they do not build my house. "

"Instead of the two-story house they want to build a two-room apartment"

Two-storey house  of Shahnaz Israfilova, a  resident of the village of  Ashagi Tala, was destroyed in the earthquake. "We had a two-story house, three rooms on the ground floor and the three rooms on  the second floor. Five months ago, the  Emergency Situations Ministry demolished house. During the demolition of the house  they promised us to build a two-storey house. We waited for two months, but the builders have not appeared. When we were asked, we were told that they will build a three-room apartment. We had to agree. Then we were told that the design of our apartments has changed -  and they will build two-room apartment. We expressed our displeasure, saying that for those who had had two-room apartment, they want to build a two-story house." In this connection  Shahnaz Israfilova appealed to the head of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation,  Mehriban Aliyeva. However, an e-mail came from the executive power. Local officials  told Shahnaz Israfilova that  Mehriban Aliyeva positively responded to the letter. "But  they hid the letter." According to Shahnaz Israfilova, the committee members are blackmailing her family. "We are told that if we complain  they will not build  house for us. Coming cold weather aggravates the situation, said Shahnaz Israfilova. "It is cold and it is impossible to live in a tent. We had to sell  our. With this money, we built one room. Our country is rich in natural resources. The president ordered to build  houses; however, some officials  take the advantage of the situation and commit illegality."

" They call be a member of “Musavat” party and do not build my house"

Houses in emergency are not registered in  the village of Alasgar in  Zagatala region.  The situation in that remote village is  very bad.  According to a resident of the village, Barat Ismaylova,  the commission which arrived after the earthquake, said that the house is in disrepair. "First commission told that living in this house is dangerous. We were given a tent and forbidden to live in the house. Before the cold weather we lived in that tent. But the commission which arrived later said that the house is not an emergency, and does not  need a repair. Chairman of the municipality Muharram Hasanov does not allow us to build a house. He demands  4000 manat for the  construction of new houses. When I  complain, the chairman of the municipality calls me  a member of “Musavat” party. Is it true to call me so only because I demand the truth? For this reason  they do not  build my home."

Alekper Aliyev, another  resident of the village of  Alasgar, said that his house is not good to live in. "Before the earthquake, I wanted to expand my  house and even started construction. After the earthquake, experts  inspected the house, and said that the walls of the house shifted by 21 cm , and told me not to stay in the  house. If we remain at home, and there  is a tragedy, I'll be to blame. We were given a tent in which we have been living for seven months. Our  area  is mountainous, and the tent is cold. During this time, my daughter got sick, I had to take her to the hospital in Baku. Winter is approaching and it is impossible to live in a tent. I am forced to stay in emergency house. However, the commission which  arrived later did not consider my home emergency. I wrote a complaint in all instances, no they do not respond. "

According to Bahram Babakhanov, a resident of the village of Alasgar,  the commission  found his house in emergency. "We waited for exactly seven months that our home will be demolished,  and a new one will be built. However, nobody is interested in us. We were given a tent in which we somehow spent the summer, but now winter is coming.

I can not leave my children in the emergency house and expose their lives in danger. At nights my children stay in the home of relatives. My wife is sick. I earn only 40 manat a month. So far, I can not return  1,000 AZN  which I borrowed from my relatives for my wife’s treatment. I have no funds to build at least one-room flat."

Hussey Sulhaeva said the earthquake destroyed her home. "The commission checked my house, and first told that the house should be rebuilt. Then they told that  my home could be repaired. One day they came and took pictures of the house. I am a single sick person. There is nowhere I can go,  and complain. In summer  I somehow lived in a tent.  But now it is cold and impossible to stay in a tent, and  I am afraid to live in a ruined house."

Effendi Abdullah, the villager of  Alasgar , said that the majority of houses in the village  are in a dangerous condition. Despite this, the Commission gave the wrong conclusion. Of  20 damaged houses,  on which an official act was made, they have started  on  November 5,  the construction of a single house. 

A house  is being built in the village  of Gezbarah.  Nothing is known about the fate of  the remaining 18 houses. According to Abdullah Efendi, most of those whose houses were in emergency, left the village. Two of them  are close relatives of Abdullah. "One of them  is Eldar Huseynov. First Commission has concluded that  the house is partly  in emergency. Then, the second commission said that the house  is in  emergency, but so far the documents have not arrived. Because the house is fully  in emergency, Eldar had to leave the village. He is now in Baku. We have repeatedly complained to the local authorities. They tell us  that we should ourselves build houses for us. " The house of Mubariz Ismailov, another relative of Abdullah Efendi, was demolished six months ago. "His house was not built, and now they built a house for Mubaris on the bank of a mountain river in the village of  Gezbarah, ten kilometers from our village. Chairman of the municipality took  from him 400 manat and gave the land on which the  house is being built. People are forced to leave the village, but there was not any order to leave the village. If they are going to resettle the village, why they build a new school there? "

Houses, demolished seven months ago, are not being built

The construction of most of the houses demolished  seven months ago  has not  started. At the same time, the construction of most of the houses has been suspended. According to Zahid Huseynov,  the resident of  the village of Alasgar, his house was demolished seven months ago by the Ministry of Emergency Situations. "They demolished my house and left,  but did not come later then came in and did not even bother to ask. I complained, at least a hundred times, but no one responds. My children live in a tent. Of the executive branch, we are told that currently go build housing. Now I have to build at least one room. " Zahid Huseynov said that the government has not allocated any funds for the construction of this room. "To earn money, I work in Russia, and I am building a small room for the kids so that they do not freeze in the winter." 

No contracts are signed with  workers 

Most of the houses built in the area were left unfinished. The reason is that the masters and the workers  are not paid. Construction works are not transparent, so it is unclear from which company the workers are. Nor labor contracts are signed with workers. Those who require employment contracts, are immediately fired. Local craftsmen are not given a job because they  demand a work schedule rates.  Houses in Zakatala region are built mainly by workers from Shamakhi, Agsu, Saatli, Sabirabad and Sheki. Lately citizens of Georgia, Georgian by nationality, are attracted for the construction of houses. In contrast to the Azerbaijanis,  labor contract are signed with them, and they receive their wages in time. 

Mushfig Mammadov, working in a village of  Mamruh, does not know what company he works for,  he did not sign a labor contract  with the company. "We know only the superintendent, his name is Samir.  They must pay us 600 manat. Before the  Qurban holiday they gave  each of us  a hundred manat, and said that money will be after the holiday.  However, during the construction of the old houses there were not money problems. "

Mammadov said that one square meter  of double masonry of walls on the ground floor is  4 AZN , and  on the second is 4.5 manat. Plaster on the outside of the house is two manat per  one square meter, inside the house - 1.7 manat. Mammadov said that the prices are low and unprofitable, and they earn only eight manat a day. According to him, the owner of the home gives them feed. "The people here are good,  and we live right outside their house. If this were not so, no one would could work here. "

Repair works have not started

After the earthquake in Zagatala it was concluded that some houses need  partial refurbishing, and some houses need an enhanced repair and rehabilitation. However, after the May earthquake there were several aftershocks, resulting in the damage of most of these homes, which became  unusable. However, no start was given to the restoration of these buildings.  The construction of schools, which are in bad state, has not finished. Some schools are being in  smaller size compared with the previous ones. For example,  before school number 3 in the village of  Asagi Tala was designed for 1176 seats, not it is  for 600 seats. Nursery schools are closed, the construction of new kindergartens has not begun.

There is no technical supervision over the construction

Construction of houses in Zagatala  is implemented by several companies. However, there is no official information on the participation of these companies in the tender for the construction of houses. At the same time,  there is not technical supervision over the construction of houses. Householders do not represent any projects and estimates. These documents are kept secret. Serious technical errors are made during construction. For example, some companies use cement "Garadagh" brand M-300; but this brand of cement is used   not for building a house,  but  for  plaster. No concrete structures (columns) are installed  on the back of the main house and the corners. Concrete structures  placed in the foundation are  not tied to the top floor. In the future it can cause the destruction of homes in a much shorter period. Wiring homes do not meet the technical requirements. Thus, the wires are attached directly to the wall, and  are covered with  plaster.  Any short-circuit in wires can cause fire, so it will be  necessary to scrape the plaster. It should be noted that most of the superintendents are not builders.

Ilham Aliyev is unhappy with the quality of construction

In villages  of Gezbarah  and Mamruh,  which were the epicenter of the earthquake, the construction work is more active compared with other areas. The reason is that the two villages are under the control of the head of state. After the earthquake, Ilham Aliyev twice visited the village  of Gezbarah. According to local residents, only prompted  people met with the president. During his first visit to the village, the President visited one of the destroyed houses. He promised the owners that their house would be restored in the shortest possible time. He even promised to come for a visit after the restoration of the house. The event was shown on the state TV channel. On the eve of  the president’s second visit to Zakatala  they suddenly remembered that the president promised to visit the house after restoration, and a two-story house was hastily built  within two  weeks. Furniture and carpets were brought to the house.

As soon as  Aliyev arrived in the village, we visited  just that house. In the corridor of the first floor  the president is faced a trouble, the  parquet under his foot came off. Ilham Aliyev left the house without seeing. According to witnesses, Ilham Aliyev became very angry. The construction works in the villages  of Gezbarah and  Mamruh  are implemented by "Azinko" and "Gilan" companies.

Despite  seven months passed after the earthquake, most of the houses in the two villages   have not been built. Local residents say that  the construction will not finish in the next month or two.

Afghan Mukhtarly,

Turan News Agency,

Zakatala