* Photo: İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB)
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Metropolitan Mayor of İstanbul Ekrem İmamoğlu has responded to President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who criticized him for the "not sod-cutting ceremony" held for a biological purification facility in İstanbul last week.
Announcing that they decided to suspend bidding processes for large projects in the city, İmamoğlu stated on November 7 that the project for a wastewater treatment plant, the Silahtarağa Biological Purification Facility, has been suspended as part of their move.
Speaking after the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipal Council meeting today (November 11), İmamoğlu has stated that the Metropolitan Municipality of İstanbul released a statement for the press about the issue. "We made a tough statement", İmamoğlu has said and continued as follows:
"I reckon that when the President reads that statement of ours, he will thank us a lot. Moreover, there are perhaps 20-25-year-old trees planted by himself among over 2 thousand trees on that 70 thousand square meter area.
"He will be glad that these trees have been saved as well. There is a deep technical explanation, to the people of İstanbul. Preventing a wrong investment of almost 1.6 billion, we are proceeding by being an administration that will make the right investments at the right points. Dear President will also be glad about our attitude."
Municipality: It would lead to cutting of 2,000 trees
Releasing a statement about the cancellation of Silahtarağa Biological Purification Facility project on its website, the Metropolitan Municipality of İstanbul has reminded that "a committee report by a group of academics from İstanbul Technical University (İTÜ) Department of Environmental Engineering also indicated in detail that there was no need for the project."
Announcing that there are currently other Advanced Biological Purification Facilities planned for other parts of the city, the Municipality has underlined, "This extravagant project of 1.5 billion lira, which is not included in any waste water master plans and found irrelevant, unnecessary and risky, will also lead to the cutting of 2 thousand trees, most of which are monumental trees, in an area, 75 thousand square meters of which is a green space."
What did Erdoğan say?
Speaking at the "11 Million Trees: Today a Sapling, Tomorrow a Breath" program in Ankara for "National Forestation Day" today, President Erdoğan referred to 'not sod-cutting ceremony' held for the biological purification facility in Silahtarağa in following words:
"Serving is a matter of vision. Some people do not even realize the projects that they find at hand. Some people - just look at this oversight - held a ceremony of "not sod-cutting" for the advanced biological purification facility, whose preparations were completed in the previous period. They are not familiar with sod-cutting and opening ceremonies, anyway.
"I do not go to sod-cutting ceremonies, but to the openings. It is my principle. Just look at what they do: Not sod-cutting ceremony. They held a not sod-cutting ceremony, just as it suits their constitution and character. Serving the country and nation will fall hard on them. That is why, they did what suited them best." (HA/SD)
