Aghsu, March 6, AZERTAC

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has arrived in Aghsu district for a visit to familiarize himself with the works to eliminate the consequences of the earthquake that hit Shamakhi, Ismayilli and Aghsu districts on February 5-6.

Private houses and social infrastructure facilities were damaged by the earthquake that occurred in Shamakhi, Ismayilli and Aghsu districts on February 5-6. Under President Ilham Aliyev`s urgent instructions given immediately after the natural disaster, the engineering and communication systems were fully rehabilitated in the quake-hit districts and initial assistance was provided to the quake-affected population.

The head of state visited the quake-hit zone, met with residents, and noted that the consequences of the earthquake will be eliminated. President Ilham Aliyev gave relevant instructions to appropriate executive authorities in this regard. The very same day, the President signed an Order on measures to eliminate the consequences of the earthquake that occurred in Shamakhi, Ismayilli and Aghsu districts. Under the presidential Order, the Ministry of Emergency Situations was initially allocated two million manats to tackle the damage caused to residential buildings, social and infrastructure facilities in Shamakhi, Ismayilli and Aghsu districts.

The head of state viewed the construction of new houses. President Ilham Aliyev familiarized himself with the construction of a house for the family of Gulara Hokmravan in Khasayev Street, and talked to builders.

President Ilham Aliyev: Hello, is this local workforce?

Kamaladdin Heydarov: Yes, they are all local.

President Ilham Aliyev: How are things going?

Workers: Thank you very much. Things are going well.

President Ilham Aliyev: There is a lot to do, the houses must be restored. I wish you success. Thank you!

Workers: Thank you, may Allah be pleased with you.

Then President Ilham Aliyev had a chat with the son of a hostess, Tahir Hokmravan.

Tahir Hokmravan: Welcome! We were waiting for you. We were sure that you would come.

President Ilham Aliyev: Of course!

Tahir Hokmravan: You are always with us. We are grateful for your concern for our people. On my own behalf and on behalf of my sick mother, I express our gratitude to you. We wish you and your family a long life. May Allah bless you! May you always be healthy!

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you very much. Say hello to your mother. I hope she gets well soon. The house will be ready in a month. Inshallah, you will live together. May Allah bestow healing upon your mother.

Tahir Hokmravan: We are grateful to you, thank you very much. May Allah grant you good health.

President Ilham Aliyev: Do you have any comments regarding the construction of the house?

Tahir Hokmravan: No, everything is fine, thank you very much.

President Ilham Aliyev: A new durable house is being built on the site. No earthquake can affect it.

Tahir Hokmravan: Inshallah, thank you very much. May Allah grant you good health.

President Ilham Aliyev: Were you at home during the earthquake?

Tair Hokmravan: Yes, I was at home.

President Ilham Aliyev: Where do you live now?

Tair Hokmravan: There is a building here, we live there. We have taken the children there.

President Ilham Aliyev: They promise that they will finish the construction in a month.

Minister of Emergency Situations Kamaladdin Heydarov: This house will be ready in a month, perhaps even earlier.

Tahir Hokmravan: Inshallah. May Allah grant you good health. Thank you.

Minister of Emergency Situations Kamaladdin Heydarov informed the head of state about the work carried out in the earthquake zone. It was noted that based on appeals from the ground, the commissions set up have examined 4,893 houses in Shamakhi, 1,461 houses in Aghsu and 919 houses in Ismayilli to date. It was established that 244 houses in Shamakhi, 150 houses in Aghsu and 97 in Ismayilli are in critical condition. 1,111 houses in Shamakhi, 265 in Aghsu and 262 in Ismayilli are in need of restoration and reinforcement. 1,800 houses in Shamakhi, 1,022 in Aghsu and 354 in Ismayilli are in need of repairs. In total, 88 houses in these districts have been prepared for demolition, 65 houses have been knocked down and have begun to be demolished, and 38 houses are under construction. In total, 491 houses are in emergency condition.

President Ilham Aliyev: So these will be rebuilt.

Kamaladdin Heydarov: Yes. They will be demolished and rebuilt and 1,665 houses will be restored.

President Ilham Aliyev: What about other requests?

Kamaladdin Heydarov: So far there are 7,296 requests, of which 7,264 have been reviewed. Sixteen commissions are at work.

President Ilham Aliyev: Are the commissions still working?

Kamaladdin Heydarov: Yes, the commissions are still working because complainants sometimes say that their house is not subject to restoration and is in emergency condition.

President Ilham Aliyev: Let the commission objectively examine these issues.

Kamaladdin Heydarov: The construction of 22 houses in Shamakhi, 10 in Ismayilli and six in Aghsu has already begun.

President Ilham Aliyev: Are these the designs of houses in the villages?

Kamaladdin Heydarov: Yes, these are designs of four-, three- and two-room houses in the villages.

President Ilham Aliyev: So the houses are bigger than before?

Kamaladdin Heydarov: Of course, they are bigger than the old ones and are designed for an earthquake measuring 9 points.

President Ilham Aliyev gave instructions for the continuation of construction and restoration work at a high pace and with high quality.

Then the head of state got acquainted with the construction of a house for the family of Hajar Zamanova in Firdovsi Street. It was noted that the new house being built on the site of the destroyed building will be a three-room one. All the conditions for normal living will be created here.

The head of state had a chat with hostess Hajar Zamanova.

Hajar Zamanova: I am very pleased. You are welcome!

President Ilham Aliyev: Glad to see you. How are you?

Hajar Zamanova: Thank you, we are good. May Allah grant you good health.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you very much. How are things going?

Hajar Zamanova: Everything is fine. I've been waiting for you. Glory to Allah, you are finally here.

President Ilham Aliyev: Of course, I definitely had to come. I came to see how things are going.

Hajar Zamanova: Glory to Allah. When I saw you on TV, I prayed to Allah to meet with the President.

President Ilham Aliyev: How is the construction of the house going? Are you satisfied?

Hajar Zamanova: I am very satisfied. I am very pleased.

President Ilham Aliyev: Was the completely destroyed?

Kamaladdin Heydarov: Yes.

Hajar Zamanova: May Allah protect you for our country, for Azerbaijan. You care so much about us. Let our flag always fly high.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you very much. When will the house be ready?

Kamaladdin Heydarov: In one month at the latest.

President Ilham Aliyev: Where do you live now?

Hajar Zamanova: We are renting an apartment. We temporarily live there.

President Ilham Aliyev: In a month, Inshallah, you will move to a new beautiful house.

Hajar Zamanova: Inshallah. May Allah bless you.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you very much.

Hajar Zamanova: Everyone in Aghsu knows that I am the daughter of a prominent religious figure. I read the Koran and pray. I swear to Allah that from the day your father died, I have been praying for the peace of his soul. I say, Allah, if he had not returned, there would not be a single young man left in Azerbaijan. He came and stopped the war. May the Almighty rest his soul. May Allah bless you, his son.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. All the houses destroyed by the earthquake in Aghsu, Shamakhi and Ismayilli districts have already been knocked down and will be rebuilt, including yours. That is, the houses that are in disrepair. They now report that hundreds of houses will be built.

Hajar Zamanova: Thank you. May Allah help you.

President Ilham Aliyev: There will not be a single unrepaired house damaged by the earthquake. The houses that cannot be repaired will be built anew.

Hajar Zamanova: With the grace of Allah and thanks to you. I want to tell you something. My grandson is 29 years old. Both his father and mother died. I have raised him. And now one of his eyes does not see at all and the other sees only by 3 percent. I am taking him to hospital, he needs a donor eye. But I can’t afford this.

President Ilham Aliyev: I will instruct the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

Hajar Zamanova: Thank you, but doctors are saying that it is very urgent.

President Ilham Aliyev: Is he here or in Baku?

Hajar Zamanova: He was here, but after our house fell apart, I sent him to my daughter’s in Baku.

President Ilham Aliyev: Give his phone number, first and last name.

Hajar Zamanova: Zamanov Murad Adil oglu.

President Ilham Aliyev: Don’t worry. If need be, we will send him abroad.

Hajar Zamanova: Thank you.

President Ilham Aliyev: We receive thousands of such appeals.

Hajar Zamanova: May Allah protect you.

President Ilham Aliyev: A house will be built soon. It will be comfortable for you to live here.

Hajar Zamanova: Thank you.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you very much.

Х Х Х

President Ilham Aliyev visited the statue of national leader Heydar Aliyev in the city of Aghsu and laid flowers at it.

Then President Ilham Aliyev met with residents of the districts and accepted letters from the residents of Aghsu.

Residents: Hello, Mr. President. Long live Ilham Aliyev! Welcome! Mr President, the people of Aghsu are proud of you. May Allah grant you a long life. May Allah bless you.

President Ilham Aliyev: Hello, thank you very much. I came to meet with you. All of the letters will be reviewed.

Residents: Thank you. May Allah be pleased with you.

President Ilham Aliyev: Appropriate instructions have been given in relation to the earthquake that occurred in Aghsu. New houses are already under construction on the site of the destroyed ones. All of the destroyed houses will be rebuilt in a short time and those in emergency condition will be overhauled. I came here today to monitor the work myself, give appropriate instructions and meet with you. All of the letters given to me here will be reviewed. Don’t worry, all the houses destroyed in the earthquake will be rebuilt. I came here to solve your problems. It is my duty to serve you. I see my mission precisely in this. As President, I have always sought to serve the people of Azerbaijan with dignity. All necessary steps will be taken to solve the problems of our citizens.

Residents: Thank you. May Allah grant you good health. May Allah send you good luck in everything you do. We are grateful to you!