NEWS

A round table regarding “Efficient management of water resources: problems, tasks and ways of solving” was held today at the exposition center “Kazan Fair” in the framework of theVcongress and exposition “Clean water. Kazan”. The Head of theLower Volga Basin Water Management Board, Anatoly Bykov, the First Deputy Minister for Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustem Kamalov acted as moderators of the round table. The following trends were discussed during the round table:
- restoration and ecological rehabilitation of water facilities: problems and solutions;
-improvement of nature protection legislation in the water field: social, legal and economic aspects of water resources protection;

The IIIRepublican Ecological Festival of Pupils “Nature and us” was held in Nizhnekamsk on the premises of the Children’s Ecological and Biological Center. The Republican Ecological and Biological Methodical Centerunder the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Tatarstan, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan,the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan, the Board of Education under the Executive Committee of the Municipal Establishment “Nizhnekamsk Municipal District”, and the Department for Environmental Protectionunder the Executive Committee of the Municipal Establishment “Nizhnekamsk Municipal District” acted as the founding members of the Festival.

The contest “A birdhouse from each pupil” started in Tyulyachi district of Tatarstan. On March 5-15th, pupils of secondary educational establishments and further educational establishments of the district presented their birdhouses. The jury will evaluate them in the following categories:
- “Optimal variant” –a birdhouse that meets the needs of birds and demands imposed on birdhouses;
- “Magic palace”–the most beautiful and original birdhouse;
- “Strange and funny”–the most unconventional and funny birdhouse;
- “Audience choice award”–a birdhouse that received the greatest amount of responses;

A plenary meeting on “Solution of tasks regarding guaranteed provision of population and economic entities with water resources” was held today at the exposition center “Kazan Fair” in the framework of the Vspecialized exposition and congress “CLEAN WATER. KAZAN”. The Minister for Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan, Artem Sidorov, was the moderator of the event. The Head of theLower Volga Basin Water Management Board, Anatoly Bykov,Deputy Chairperson of the Government of Astrakhan Region on the functioning oflife support system and ecological safety, Oleg Polumordvinov, and others participated in the meeting. The reports on preservation of the ecological balance of the Lower Volga, as well as reports on implementation of the policy in the field of water relations of the Republic of Tatarstan were heard; and the European experience of the use of innovation technologies in the field of purification of waste waters was reviewed. The following addresses were also made: “State network of observationsof the Federal State Budgetary Establishment“The Territorial Administration for Hydrometeorological and Environmental Monitoring of the Republic of Tatarstan” and prospects of its development”, “The state of water facilities of Moscow and the experience of implementation” of water protection activities, “Monitoring of bottom deposits of water facilities: problems and solutions”.

The V specialized exposition and congress “CLEAN WATER. KAZAN” was solemnly opened today at the exposition center “Kazan Fair”. The Minister for Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan, Artem Sidorov, addressed guests and participants of the exposition. He welcomed everyone on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan. “It is the fifth congress and exposition event that has been held since 2010, and I am happy to acknowledge that today we see here heads of specialized state authorities, representatives of the scientific community and public, experts of Russian and foreign companies, as well as potential investors. It is the best evidence of the fact that this event has become a unifying platform shaping further policy and practical activity in the water field”, noted Artem Sidorov. In his address, the Head of the Lower Volga Basin Water Management Board, Anatoly Bykov, said that last year 1 billion and 300 million rubles were spent on construction of coast-protection structures, and cleaning of small rivers in the Republic of Tatarstan. “Those 70 years before the Perestroika we did nothing but consumed. Today, one year of destruction requires ten years of restoration. It is great piece of hard work. It is gratifying to emphasize that the Republic of Tatarstan is the pace-setter in solution of these matters. Tatarstan is the pioneer with regard to all innovations in every trend”, summarized Anatoly Bykov.

Today, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan Ildar Khalikov met with the Head of the Lower Volga Basin Water Management Board, Anatoly Bykov,and Deputy Chairpersonof the Government of Astrakhan region, Oleg Polumordvinov. The Minister for Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan, Artem Sidorov, participated in the meeting as well. Participants of the event discussed the matters regarding regulation of the water level in water storages of the Lower Volga basin located on the territory of Tatarstan.The Prime Minister of Tatarstan, Ildar Khalikov, acknowledged that when it comes to the rational use of water resources it is important to consider interestsof all the entities concerned, and that the Lower Volga BasinWater Management Boardplays an important role in mutual regulation of all such interests.

A briefing devoted to a two-month sanitary and ecological campaign was held today at the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Tatarstan, where the Minister for Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan, Artem Sidorov, made an address. In the course of the briefing he informed that from April 1st to the end of May, all nature protection services, specialized ministries and authorities, executive committees of municipal formations of the Republic in the Republic of Tatarstan will proceed with a two-month sanitary and ecological campaign in order to clean territories and bring them to an appropriate sanitary and ecological state.

The annual international campaign “Earth Hour” will be held on March 29, 2014from8:30 to9:30 pm local time.
The event is annually held by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)on the last Saturday of March urging everybody — individuals, organizations, schools, municipal formations, commercial establishments — to turn off the light and other non-essential electrical devicesfor one hour (except for elevators) in order to heighten interest in the problem of climate change and energeticunificationof the mankind.

The meeting of the Anti-corruption Commission was held today at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan in the form of a videoconference. Members of the Commission,heads of structural subdivisions of the central office, and heads of territorial departments under the Ministry took part in the meeting.

I would like to extend my cordial and sincere congratulations on the Day of your professional holiday!
Indeed, the highest requirements are imposed to efficiency and qualityof work ofhydrometeorologists. Hundreds of thousands of daily forecasts are under your belt, and it is those forecasts, accuracy and efficiency whereof determine health and well-being of millions of people. You play one of the key roles in assurance of ecological safety of the population.