This Saturday, Mayor Enrique Cresto, the President of the Argentine Delegation to the Mixed Technical Commission of Salto Grande, Luis Benedetto, and the CTM delegate, Héctor Maya, held a meeting to address various issues, mainly concerning the strengthening of public policies that foster the development of Concordia and the region.
Projections regarding the possible evolution of the Uruguay River levels and the impact of the El Niño phenomenon in the area were among the topics addressed by Cresto and Benedetto. In this regard, the Mayor also presented a report prepared by the Municipal Institute of Housing and Land (InVyTAM) concerning the relocation process of families that has been taking place in recent years, continuing the work carried out in this aspect by the administration of Gustavo Bordet..
This information is relevant to gauge the transformation achieved in this aspect, given that at the current levels of the Uruguay River, there would already be more than 300 families evacuated had a long-term plan and public policies aimed at both the construction of new neighborhoods and the prevention of new settlements in flood-prone areas not been implemented.
A specific example that serves as an immediate reference regarding the issue is the relocation of the families who resided along the Manzores stream, who were moved to the new Agua Patito neighborhood, and the sector they occupied was transformed, during the first administration of Mayor Cresto, into a recreational park with a playground tower, structures for sports practice, cultural activities, and green spaces.
“When Governor Bordet was mayor and engineer Benedetto was in charge of Public Works, they implemented specific actions that gave many families the opportunity to leave behind the scourge of floods. We expanded and consolidated these public policies, working together with the Nation and the Province, and projecting a model of a resilient city that can coexist with climate change and rising waters,” Cresto highlighted in this regard.
“Today we spoke with Luis about what can be expected from the river and the way in which we, the residents of Concordia, have been advancing with works and policies that allow us to be better prepared each time to face these situations. Not long ago, we would already have hundreds of people in evacuation centers and would be preparing to have more if the river rose a little more. Today the situation is completely different and it is important to value this, because it is part of a collective achievement that we have forged together and that represents a profound change in their life history for many families,” reflected Cresto.
A BIG LEAP FOR THE REGION
The energy issue; the efforts at the national level by Governor Gustavo Bordet and National Senator Edgardo Kueider; the historical and legitimate demand for secure and accessible energy in the region; and the strategic importance of this issue to boost production, development, and job creation were also topics addressed by Benedetto and Cresto.
Both the head of CTM and the mayor agreed on the relevance of strengthening an articulated agenda that reinforces the link between Salto Grande and the municipality with joint programs and initiatives for the benefit of institutions, the tourism and productive sectors, and the generation of opportunities for youth.
“There are common objectives and joint work that is often silent but definitely productive, taking into account that our municipal government works as a team and the CTM, which in this administration has authorities from Entre Ríos who know the reality and are committed to the region, represents for us an ever-present point of support,” highlighted Cresto.
Finally, and among other various topics, the Mayor and Benedetto agreed to jointly promote events of tourist relevance for the city such as the Citriculture Festival, the Kings' Marathon, and the Carnivals of Concordia, as well as to expand the scope of the Open-Air Murals cultural project, reaching more public spaces and offering more alternatives for expression to local photographers and artists.