The Çakmak Dam project,
which is described as the GAP of the Thrace region, the foundation of which was
laid 12 years ago, could only be completed almost 3 percent of the overall
irrigation line. While the 1st Stage irrigation line, which was tendered in
2017 and will provide water to an area of 160 thousand decares, is expected
to be completed in 2020, only 10 percent of the work here has been done so far.
The 2nd Stage irrigation line, covering an area of 360 thousand decares, has
not even been put out to tender. Considering all these, in order to accelerate
the construction of the Çakmak Dam Irrigation Line, an evaluation meeting was
held at the Çakıcı Hotel with the participation of District Governor Hakan
Yavuz Erdoğan. As a result of the meeting, it was decided to form a team and go
to Ankara and make a request to the relevant authorities to accelerate the
project.
Uzunköprü
District Governor Hakan Yavuz Erdoğan, Mayor Özlem Becan, District Agriculture
Manager Burak Esen, Uzunköprü Commodity Exchange Chairman Egemen Aslan, Chamber
of Agriculture President Yıldız Kılıç, Çakmak Irrigation Cooperative President
Ünal at the Çakmak Dam evaluation meeting held at Çakıcı Hotel on Wednesday,
September 01. Çelebi, Rice Producers Union President Ali Öner, Dairy Producers
Union President Tamer Akkuş, Headman`s Association President Nevzat Öztürk, AK
Party District Managers Önder Özcan and Mutlu Kırman, CHP District President
Muammer Çetiner, IYI Party District President İbrahim Erkal, MHP District
President Onur Ser Press members attended as well. In the meeting, ideas were
exchanged regarding the acceleration of the construction of the Çakmak Dam
Irrigation Lines, which are progressing more slowly than planned and considered
very important for the region, especially for our district.
District Governor
Hakan Yavuz Erdoğan, who took the floor for the first time at the meeting,
emphasized that the issues that need to be done about the project should be
focused on one by one and stated that the focus should be shifted to that direction.
Emphasizing that requests were made in parts rather than the overall project,
Erdoğan said: “First of all, we must focus on commitments. Did the 40 million
TL promised to us at the Çakmak dam come? We have to follow this. We must look
at agriculture as a whole. In such a period, we need to determine the amount we
want well. We must demand a reasonable and realistic allowance. The pandemic
has overtaken many things. We are going through a difficult period. The project
we have to compare is the Hamzadere Dam. 85% complete. It means they`ve come a
long way. We should act on this as well. If we include the AK Party Provincial
Chairperson Belgin İba to the team, we need to go to Ankara with a strong team
with other components. This is a very costly project than OSB. We work within
15 days, interviews and appointments are set. We have to make the preparations
and act quickly and get this done until the Budget is prepared”.
Another person
who took the floor at the meeting, Çakmak Irrigation Cooperative President Ünal
Çelebi, pointed out that the 1st phase is progressing very slowly, and that the
2nd phase has not been tendered yet, and that at least the 2nd phase tender
should be completed. In his speech, Çelebi said, “The situation of the Çalmak
Dam Project is progressing slowly. The tender for the canal that will flood the
main body from Meriç has been awarded. The contractor is working. Regarding the
1st stage, he told me that I can do 20 percent of the money with the money I
have, we need money. He promised to deliver it next year if you give me money.
Ms. Belgin (AK Party Edirne Provincial President) said she would contact in
Ankara. We are in the 10th percentile in the irrigation project of an area of
160 thousand decares. Work continues in the Sığırcılı section. The other
stage is an area of 360 thousand decares. The tender for this needs to be
done urgently," he said.
Commodity
Exchange Chairman Egemen Aslan also drew attention to the importance of going
to Ankara with a team to accelerate the project. Stating that the country gave
signs of drought, Aslan emphasized that the Çakmak Dam should be completed and
put into operation as soon as possible. In the evaluation of the lion, “
We have an urgent
need at the Çakmak dam. Due to the drought, Central Anatolia and other regions
were destroyed. We need to put this threshold appropriation in the 2022 budget.
Meriç line continues, let`s speed it up. Let`s form a team. Let`s follow this
issue in Ankara. We have to stick the needle in ourselves. We did not follow
this process properly. The President and the Speaker of the Parliament are also
aware of this project. I think Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop will help us
when we go with a determined team.”
Other
participants at the meeting also went to Ankara and stated that they agreed to
include the project in the 2022 budget. Necessary preliminary meetings will be
held with the DSI Regional Director within 15 days and preliminary preparations
will be made for the meetings in Ankara.