An article published in REM in 1991PAIVA, G. Importância do mapeamento geológico urbano do Brasil. Revista Escola de Minas, v. 44, n. 3 e 4, p. 121-122, 1991., by Glycon de Paiva, shows how predictable it was, and is, to prevent catastrophes, as is happening in southern Brazil:
According to the aforementioned author:
The advantageous use of geology in urban development, from the perspective of the populations, would be the merit of educating them about the benefits of practicing this Science.
It would not be about producing minerals, but about laying economic foundations for the population to carry out crucial activities that would provide better and safer living conditions, more intelligent urban transport; and provision of resources for construction, such as sand, clay, lime, aggregates and gravel.
Ouro Preto is a good example of the lack of urban development. According to RIBEIRO (1963), the Portuguese architect, Viana de Lima, had a proposal that covered, in general, the entire city, with the greater detail focusing on the urban core. It highlighted a layout of a road system, along with a proposal for a “satellite city”, to be built next to it. The proposal provided for the protection and “defense of the urban core and its landscape setting”, as well as the displacement of its expansion “outside the urban area”. These would be separated by a green area, where no construction would be allowed, and which would also have the role of “avoiding landslides” (VIANA DE LIMA, 1970VIANA DE LIMA, A. Renovação e valorização de Ouro Preto. Paris: Unesco. Arquivo Central do Iphan, 1970. (Assuntos Internacionais/ Unesco)., p.7 and 15). No action in this direction has been taken, and we have already seen several geological problems occur.
In Brazil, it is rare to see long-term policies or to understand that years ago, the population moved from the countryside to the city. Therefore, good urban planning would be much safer/economical for the Nation.
Unfortunately, this proposal was not followed, and we have seen the disorderly growth of many cities, which still suffer from landslides, floods, etc.
Glycon, once again, writes: The intelligent use of the subsoil to make the fundamental task of living easier and more affordable, especially in regions with a heavily occupied topography, holds great possibilities for national enrichment, independent of the wealth of the subsoil. It will also allow full use of geology professionals, who are basically limited to the task of conditioning the economical production of a few hundred minerals.
Are we going to wait for a few more tragedies to occur, so that ideas like Viana's, Glycon's, and other urbanists' can really be implemented?
References
- PAIVA, G. Importância do mapeamento geológico urbano do Brasil. Revista Escola de Minas, v. 44, n. 3 e 4, p. 121-122, 1991.
- RIBEIRO, C. Viana de Lima em missão da UNESCO no Brasil. Urbana, v. 5, n. 1, jul., 2013. (Dossiê: Urbanistas e Urbanismo- CIEC/UNICAMP). Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.20396/urbana.v5i1.8635087
» https://doi.org/10.20396/urbana.v5i1.8635087 - VIANA DE LIMA, A. Renovação e valorização de Ouro Preto. Paris: Unesco. Arquivo Central do Iphan, 1970. (Assuntos Internacionais/ Unesco).
Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
15 July 2024 -
Date of issue
2024
