Flooding in new council houses
council houses
12 Oct 2021
/ 11:13
CORFU. The new residents΄ joy didn΄t last long.
The estate in Agios Ioannis with 176 council houses, which, after countless obstacles and 12 years delay, were handed over to the new residents, has proved to be a 'defenceless town'. Over the years there had been countless protests and protestors had occupied the half-finished houses.
Both the government MP Stefanos Gikas and the new OAED President - a Corfiot - Spyros Protopsaltis moved matters forward and started to gradually hand over the houses from February this year. The last key was even handed over by the Minister for Employment Kostis Hatzidakis in August with lots of photos and statements.
The new residents' joy didn't last long, however, as it became clear that the construction problems hadn't been resolved, despite the assurances of the contractor. With the first serious rainfall in October the houses were flooded.
With the sewage problem caught up in bureaucracy and mishandling by OAED and the Municipality over the years, by the time the work was completed the houses had already deteriorated over time. Due to shoddy workmanship, the damp had already caused erosion and damage.
The severe weather conditions showed up all the problems - after all the families had moved in with all their belongings. Basements were flooded and roofs leaked. Over 100 houses have flooded basements. Residents are being forced to immediately find the money to pay for repairs as they cannot be put off.
Residents' representative Sofia Megalogeni told ERT that they have contacted the government MP Stefanos Gikas, who is expected to visit the council houses this week.
The residents say that in some houses the boilers for the central heating still haven't been installed. "Crews came just today to try them out," Adriana Koskina told Enimerosi.
The present ND government is blaming the previous SYRIZA government for the council house problems - and SYRIZA is, in turn, blaming the ND government prior to them, when Samaras was PM.
For now, the only ones suffering the consequences are those who aren't to blame - the residents.
Both the government MP Stefanos Gikas and the new OAED President - a Corfiot - Spyros Protopsaltis moved matters forward and started to gradually hand over the houses from February this year. The last key was even handed over by the Minister for Employment Kostis Hatzidakis in August with lots of photos and statements.
The new residents' joy didn't last long, however, as it became clear that the construction problems hadn't been resolved, despite the assurances of the contractor. With the first serious rainfall in October the houses were flooded.
With the sewage problem caught up in bureaucracy and mishandling by OAED and the Municipality over the years, by the time the work was completed the houses had already deteriorated over time. Due to shoddy workmanship, the damp had already caused erosion and damage.
The severe weather conditions showed up all the problems - after all the families had moved in with all their belongings. Basements were flooded and roofs leaked. Over 100 houses have flooded basements. Residents are being forced to immediately find the money to pay for repairs as they cannot be put off.
Residents' representative Sofia Megalogeni told ERT that they have contacted the government MP Stefanos Gikas, who is expected to visit the council houses this week.
The residents say that in some houses the boilers for the central heating still haven't been installed. "Crews came just today to try them out," Adriana Koskina told Enimerosi.
The present ND government is blaming the previous SYRIZA government for the council house problems - and SYRIZA is, in turn, blaming the ND government prior to them, when Samaras was PM.
For now, the only ones suffering the consequences are those who aren't to blame - the residents.
