A protracted multimillion-dollar project, a cause of concern for environmental activists and, according to one version, a reason for the resignation of the head of the relevant department – the controversy surrounding the large-scale reclamation of the Vinnovskaya Grove has not subsided for almost a year and a half.
Anton Kuzmin found out what stage the work is at now, when it is planned to be completed and how much additional funds will still go into the ground.
After long discussions and examinations, the restoration of the Vinnovskaya Grove began. At the beginning of 23, 256 million rubles from the federal budget were received under the “Improvement of the Volga” program; the river into which numerous Vinnovka springs flow.
Oil pollution that existed in the park for many years, the true causes of which have not been established to this day, suddenly began to threaten the ecology of the river.
The project developed by a Moscow company implied a “delicate” approach to cleaning a specially protected natural area – “with small forces, manual labor, without heavy mechanization and harm to the grove’s ecosystem.”
Anton KUZMIN
CORRESPONDENT
The epicenter of reclamation now looks like this – like the site of a man-made accident. The lowland is covered with stones, there is a fence along its edge, and there, in the distance, stands a lone excavator. It is now Friday, 12:30, and there are no workers on site.
When the work is completely completed, they promise to hide the excavation site under the ground and then plant it with trees. But the process started again this winter. This time – due to the increased work area. Experts have identified 17 new springs with traces of oil pollution.
Leo LEVITAS
MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC CHAMBER OF THE ULYANOVSK REGION
Geological and environmental surveys are currently underway. The volume of this additional soil is determined. I think this work will be finished in about two weeks. As for backfilling, landscaping and other things, there are, in my opinion, no barriers.
Now everything has been done according to the main project: 33 streams and a pond have been isolated. Funds for waterproofing new springs will again be allocated from the federal budget. Exactly how much is still unclear, but no more than 10% of the amount. That is about 26 million rubles. And we need to finish the job this year.
Daria NEKRASOVA
DEPUTY MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ECOLOGY OF THE ULYANOVSK REGION
The indicator of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation was transferred to us only in the 24th year. Accordingly, we complete all work at the end of the season. That is, we complete the landscaping in September or early October. We understand that we must meet the deadline.
The same contractor will continue what was started. Questions about the methods of which previously arose from the environmental prosecutor’s office of Ulyanovsk. Last summer, at the request of a work contractor in a specially protected natural zone, more than 200 trees were used by chainsaws; the prosecutor’s office declared their felling illegal.
Anton KUZMIN, Pavel ASLANIDI. REPORTER 73
