important in St. Petersburg April 25, 2024

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Our contribution to the Arctic

In the first quarter of 2024, St. Petersburg enterprises entered into 2,097 contracts for the supply of goods and services to the regions of the Arctic zone of Russia for a total amount of 11.3 billion rubles, which is 28.5% more than for the same period in 2023. Trade turnover of medical goods and services in the first quarter between regions amounted to 4.67 billion rubles (+43%). The total value of contracts with the regions of the Arctic zone in the field of information technology and communication systems reached 558 million rubles. St. Petersburg contractors carry out orders to provide communication systems, high-speed Internet and security systems, implement software products, and also maintain unmanned systems.

New security measures

Governor Alexander Beglov chaired a joint meeting of the Anti-Terrorism Commission and the operational headquarters of St. Petersburg. Previously, in the Northern capital, additional measures were taken to ensure safety in places where people gather in large numbers; constant monitoring of the operation of sports facilities, transport, shopping and entertainment centers, schools, hospitals, universities, and theaters was introduced.

The meeting reviewed new measures to ensure security during the preparation and holding of significant public events, as well as anti-terrorism protection of socially significant objects, transport and engineering infrastructure, and places of public gatherings. Attention is focused on strengthening the protection of the Russian media environment. The governor especially noted that it is necessary to intensify efforts to promote convincing and accessible content on social networks, aimed at developing an anti-terrorist worldview among residents, especially young people, in the context of a special military operation.

Whose exhaust is cleaner?

Specialists of the transport committee, together with representatives of the department of technical operation of vehicles of St. Petersburg State University of Civil Engineering, St. Petersburg University of the State Fire Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia and the State Unitary Enterprise Passazhiravtotrans, conducted a study to determine the actual reduction in emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere during the operation of buses of various classes. To do this, high-precision measuring equipment was connected to the exhaust systems, which records the parameters of the exhaust gases in real time while the bus is moving along the city route. The testing involved buses running on diesel fuel, liquefied and compressed natural gas. The data obtained will be analyzed. The result will be estimated values ​​of mileage emissions of harmful substances in units of mass per kilometer.

As part of the first stage of research, which took place in vehicle depot No. 7, specialists using high-precision equipment measured exhaust emissions at the time of start-up and after the bus engine had warmed up to operating temperature. Static tests will evaluate emissions reductions in vehicle fleets, which is important for residents of the surrounding areas.

Lessons for the Diaspora

On April 22, at the site of the patriotic association “LENREZERV,” an educational program for young compatriots, “Reading the Siege Book,” organized by the Committee for External Relations, opened, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the complete liberation of Leningrad from the fascist blockade. The project events will last until April 28.

The participants are four dozen teenage compatriots from Abkhazia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan and South Ossetia, as well as accompanying teachers of history, Russian culture, Russian language and literature. For minor guests these days, lectures are given, interactive and game activities are held, excursions and master classes in the Russian language with creative tasks are held. Round tables were organized for their teachers on the psychological and pedagogical aspects of children’s multilingualism. The program includes meetings with veterans and survivors of the siege, visits to historical places in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region associated with the siege and the war, as well as a memorial ceremony at the Piskarevskoye memorial cemetery.

The goal of the educational program is to educate representatives of the younger generation of compatriots in the spirit of patriotism and respect for Russia and to disseminate knowledge about the feat of Leningraders during the war among young people from the Russian diaspora.

Prizes from Friendship of Peoples

On April 15 and 16, the Moskovsky Cultural and Cultural Center hosted the international festival of cultural and historical heritage “Friendship of Peoples,” organized by the “Worthy Memory” charitable foundation. The competition is held in three stages: the preliminary selection of applicants from all over the country and abroad was carried out online, and the semi-finals, finals and gala concert were held in St. Petersburg.

At the selection stage, more than three hundred performers – children and adults – took part in the Friendship of Peoples festival. Professional and amateur artists competed in several categories: vocals (pop, jazz, folk and academic, ensemble and choral singing), choreography and theatrical art. The jury includes honored and people’s artists of Russia, teachers from the country’s leading universities, composers and producers. As part of the festival, an exhibition of fine art of the peoples of Russia took place, as well as a display of works by young designers of national clothing.

Collectives from national cultural associations collaborating with the St. Petersburg House of Nationalities also took part in the competition. They all received prizes. The first places were won by the Adyghe dance theater “Nart”, the folklore group “Neevo” and the folk dance ensemble “Nart” of the Ossetian community. The “Grand Prix” went to the folk choreographic ensemble “Imamat”.

In the region…

…In the Leningrad region, near the village of Suoranda, located on the territory of the Koltushsky Heights natural monument, a large dump of construction waste was discovered. Representatives of environmental agencies detained a bulldozer that was compacting waste. The bulldozer operator will be brought to administrative responsibility; the organizers of the landfill themselves have not been found.

…In March-April 2024, specialists from Vodokanal St. Petersburg recorded an uncharacteristic deterioration in the quality of water in the Neva in terms of organic indicators of natural origin: brown color, exceeding the maximum permissible concentration for the content of total organic carbon and dissolved organic carbon. At the same time, the company claims that the purification technologies it uses make it possible to supply drinking water to the water supply system.

…The New World – Eco waste landfill in the Gatchina region increased its capacity by another 1 million tons and continued to accept garbage from St. Petersburg, despite the dissatisfaction of residents of the surrounding villages.

…From May 1, in the Leningrad region, visiting some specially protected natural areas along which ecological trails have been laid will become paid for the first time. We are talking about five reserves: “Lindulovskaya Grove”, “Kurgalsky”, “Cancer Lakes”, “Vyborgsky” and the natural monument “Koltushskie Heights”. The entrance fee to Lindulovskaya Grove is 200 rubles, to other territories – 150 rubles.

…The Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture and the residents of Metallostroy came to an agreement to open a shelter for animals (primarily dogs) in the area bounded by the Road to Metallostroy, Ust-Izhora Highway, and a railroad land allotment.

In the country

…From July 1, 2024, amendments to the Law “On Environmental Protection” will come into force in Russia, according to which public environmental control is not allowed at facilities used to ensure the defense and security of the state, and at those whose information constitutes state secret. Also, public organizations and individuals recognized as foreign agents will not be able to exercise environmental control.

…Last year, two new national parks were created in Russia – “Tula Zaseki” in the Tula region and “Vottovaara” in Karelia. As a result, the area of ​​protected areas in the country increased by almost 5.5 million hectares. The leaders in popularity among ecotourists over the past five years have been the Kislovodsky, Sochi and Curonian Spit national parks.

…Flooding in the Orenburg region caused the erosion of cemeteries, village toilets and livestock farms, which led to a sharp increase in pesticides and nutrients in the water and land. In addition, the soil was washed away in several reserves created to protect rare plants.

In the world

…The authorities of Kazakhstan intend to plant an additional 275 thousand hectares of the exposed bottom of the Aral Sea with saxaul, in addition to the hundreds of thousands of hectares already planted. For three years, the country will be responsible for the program to save the dried up sea, then “duty in the Aral Sea” will pass to other countries of Central Asia.

‌…In Australia, 200 thousand eggs of a poisonous cane toad were laid out in the natural environment. In this unconventional way, scientists are going to save monitor lizards that are dying from toad poison. The idea is to use young toads, whose poison is not yet fatal, to teach monitor lizards to avoid deadly amphibians.

…The air in Mexico City is recognized as the dirtiest in the world. And the point is not only and not so much in the large number of machines and industrial enterprises. The Mexican capital is unlucky with its location. The city is located in an intermountain basin, which is practically not ventilated.

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