01:57, 15 September 2005

Environmental disaster in Grozny

Chechnya's State Council yesterday held a meeting at which questions connected with the environmental situation in the Chechen capital were discussed. The situation was recognised critical, a source with the Chechen governmental staff told Caucasian Knot.

The situation is said to be especially critical in Grozny's Zavodskoi district where industrial facilities and oil refineries were located previously. Besides, there is a great number of so-called "condensate holes" and mini plants for oil products there. The air there is contaminated with hydrogen sulphide fumes which are released when oil is refined without the proper equipment, according to the source.

"Immediately in Grozny, there is a major source of radiation which must be urgently eliminated. However, we don't have either funds, or other functionality to solve that problem. Treatment facilities and special grounds for waste disposal must be built, which all requires huge financial expenditures," he said.

Author: Sultan Abubakarov, CK correspondent