Rustam Minnikhanov: Our task is to ensure a balance between industrial development and maintaining a comfortable living environment
"Environmental protection and rational use of natural resources are priorities for our republic. Sustainable development of our cities and the country as a whole will depend on their decision in the future," the Head of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov said today at the final meeting of the board of the Volga-Kama Interregional Department of Rosprirodnadzor in the Government House of the Republic of Tatarstan.
The meeting was devoted to the results of the department's work in 2022 and tasks for 2023. The event was attended by the head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Environmental Management (Rosprirodnadzor) Svetlana Radionova. First Deputy Minister of Ecology of the Republic of Tatarstan Ayrat Shigapov was also present at the meeting.
"Environmental protection is also the quality of life of our citizens. Everything that is said here today must be taken correctly. We are really a industry-related republic, and therefore we need to pay special attention to the protection of the environment and the rational use of natural resources," Rustam Minnikhanov said.
Last year, 35.7 million tons of oil were produced in Tatarstan, the volume of industrial production increased by 6.6%, Tatarstan is in fourth place in the country and in sixth place among the subjects in terms of GRP (3.8 trillion rubles by the end of 2020).
"Our task is to ensure a balance between industrial development and maintaining a comfortable environment for people to live in. The national project "Ecology" is being implemented in the republic, 6.8 billion rubles were allocated for its implementation last year."
To reduce the level of atmospheric air pollution in Tatarstan, active work is underway to develop the gas engine fuel market. For ten years, the fleet of gas engine equipment has increased 14 times and exceeded 13 thousand units. A project to create an electric charging infrastructure is being implemented in the region.
As noted by the head of RT, today there are a number of issues that need to be addressed. These are such problems as providing the population with high-quality drinking water, recycling of industrial and solid household waste, reclamation of previously polluted lands. Thanks to federal support, six objects of accumulated damage have been eliminated in the republic over 8 years. In 2023, the reclamation of the Samosyrov landfill in Kazan is being completed.
There are also objects in the republic that are included in the state register of accumulated harm. A full package of documents has been prepared for two of them. Recultivation of these facilities will improve the quality of life of more than 11 thousand people and restore land with a total area of more than 2 hectares.
According to the results of the inventory, 21 objects of negative impact were identified in the republic, four were examined and evaluated by Rosprirodnadzor last year. A number of objects will be surveyed and evaluated this year for the possibility of their inclusion in the federal project "General Cleaning" of the national project "Ecology".
In general, Rustam Minnikhanov thanked the head of Rosprirodnadzor Svetlana Radionova and her entire team, as well as employees of the environmental control and supervision bodies of the republic and the Volga-Kama Administration for effective joint work.