Tragedies like the one in Petrópolis, in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro, which already exceeds one hundred dead, are “serious situations that are not happening today”, in the evaluation of the researcher from LabCidade (Laboratory Espaço Público e Direito a Cidade da Faculdade de Architecture and Urbanism at USP), Isadora Guerreiro.
“Every year comes the rainy season and these tragedies happen. The housing problem is complex and does not only involve housing provision”, he defended, in an interview with CNN.
She said that the people who are victims of the landslides “before are victims of the lack of housing policy”: “Everyone knows that this is a very big risk to life, but they have no other alternative, they have not been given the opportunity to live.”
The researcher explained that Minha Casa Minha Vida provided more than 5 million housing units, “but the problem continued”: “It is necessary to reach income brackets from 0 to 2 minimum wages, which represent more than 75% of the housing deficit, who are the hardest hit.”
“It is important to say that this type of tragedy would not be solved with land regularization, which is a legal measure”, he added.
According to Isadora, this regulation is carried out “without urbanization taking place first, which is, precisely, carrying out works of containment, sanitation, sewage, water, energy, asphalt, everything related to infrastructure, transforming irregular occupations into neighborhoods, this is what makes a difference in the time of tragedy.”
The specialist defends greater inspection and, in particular, that municipal risk reduction plans be worked on together, with housing, environmental and housing policy.
Source: CNN Brasil
