Legality, transparency and open data accessible to all citizens for the first 1772 work projects worth 2301 million euros currently in the pipeline to combat hydrogeological risk.
For the first time, controls and rules are included in the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 20 May at Palazzo Chigi by the Ministry of Infrastructures and Transport, the Ministry of the Environment, #italiasicura and Anac-national anti-corruption authority.
The map of anti-instability sites is already on-line, as well as new open data with the work projects to combat landslides and floods listed by individual local council districts and the emergency status of every region.
Monitoring, surveillance, control of tenders and a re-organised 'short' chain of responsibility for the launch of the first National Plan to prevent and combat hydrogeological risk for which the Government has appointed #italiasicura, the Palazzo Chigi mission structure under Erasmo D'Angelis. Clearly defined procedures all aimed at transparency, including works to be implemented with extreme urgency in response to imminent risks of landslides or floods. This undertaking, for the first time, will involve 7120 work projects and significant resources amounting to 9 billion euros over 7 years (5 billion euros from the Development and Cohesion Fund, 2 billions from regional and Europeans co-financing and 2 billions recovered from funds not used over the last 15 years). The Metropolitan Cities Plan has already started and involves 157 important works worth 1.2 billion euros.
These objectives are all included in the signing of Memorandum of Understanding for legality with the Minister for Infrastructures, Graziano Delrio, the Minister for the Environment, Gian Luca Galletti, the President of Anac, Raffaele Cantone and the Coordinator of the Mission Structure of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers #italiasicura against hydrogeological risk, Erasmo D'Angelis. The document defines strict outlines to ensure regularity and transparency in the management of public procurement and tender procedures.
The audit function entrusted to Anac will benefit from streamlining with the introduction in all Regions of the telematic platform for managing tenders, already tested with Invitalia's technical support in Sicily, Puglia and Calabria where assignments were made without complaints or procedural problems.
“The Government,” said Environment Minister Gian Luca Galletti “has taken unprecedented commitments to tackle hydrogeological risks. In this initial stage, top priority is given to transparency, monitoring and legality of procedures: these are all essential requirements to ensure the implementation and quality of works, as well as to strengthen the credibility of institutions. In the past, too many strategic projects were blocked because of contractual irregularities and the price was paid by Italian citizens, territory and the environment”.
“A clear commitment for transparency and against corruption,” concluded Graziano Delrio, Minister of Infrastructures and Transport, “will help ensure completion of public works in due time, with efficiency, correctness and no waste”.
The restyling of Italy and its building sites was also presented, with data accessible to all citizens whereby it will be possible to see the progress of works and related and risk index on a local scale.
1,772 sites have initially been opened for hydrogeological risk prevention works throughout Italy, worth 2,301 million euros. For every such site, it will be possible to obtain information about costs, times and the type of project being implemented. The new web section also lists the framework of hydrogeological emergencies for which state of national emergency has been declared.
“We have a positive test under our belt over the last eight months: 783 sites were opened all across Italy worth 1072 million euros, part of the 2.3 billion euros not effectively spent over the past 15 years. Works waiting for 48 years were finally 'unblocked', such as the Bisagno site in Genoa, the Arno project in Florence and Seveso in Milan,” said Erasmo D'Angelis, Coordinator of #italiasicura.
Fabrizio Curcio, head of the Civil Protection Department, also expressed his favourable opinion since “ensuring the transparency of data, as well as clear and complete information for all citizens, are principles that have guided our Department's communication activities for many years. I hope that this effort will become a driving force for the entire system”.