Citizen safety on water: Vitebsk Regional Prosecutor's Office checks compliance with legislation

The prosecutor's offices of the Vitebsk region have checked compliance with the requirements of legislation aimed at preventing emergencies and the death of citizens on the water by local executive and administrative bodies.

For reference. In the past period of 2023, the region has seen an increase from 26 to 36 in the number of people who died from drowning. In June 2023 alone, 7 citizens drowned while swimming in reservoirs, including 2 minors.

Facts have been established regarding the failure of the Vitebsk City Executive Committee, and the Beshenkovichi, Braslav, Vitebsk, Gorodok, Dokshitsy, Dubrovno, Miory, Tolochin, Chashniki, and Shumilino District Executive Committees to take measures to establish a sufficient number of beaches in places of traditional mass recreation of citizens by the water.

In the city of Vitebsk, and the Braslav, Verkhnedvinsk, Lepel, Dokshitsy, Dubrovno, Lepel, Miory, Postavy, Senno, Tolochin, Chashniki, Sharkovshchina, and Shumilino districts, the provision of safety for citizens on the water and in places designated as beaches by local executive and administrative bodies did not fully comply with the requirements of the Rules for the Protection of Life on Water of the Republic of Belarus.

In most cases, the violation was expressed in the absence of a drinking water source on the beaches, which in hot weather can lead to negative consequences.

On some beaches, areas of the water surface for non-swimmers were not marked, and on the latter, the swimming boundaries were not marked in depth into the river, with swimming boundaries marked only to the left and right of the beach.

In some regions, an unsatisfactory sanitary condition of the beaches was established due to untimely cleaning, mowing of weeds, and garbage removal.

On some beaches, there were no sunshades. The installed information stands did not always contain the necessary information for vacationers, in particular, indicating depths and dangerous places in the reservoir.

It was not always the case that stands with prohibitive signs were installed in places that were dangerous and prohibited for swimming.

At the time of inspection, the region had not ensured

rescue posts at 13 water recreation areas. At the same time, 3 rescue posts (Vitebsk city, Braslav district) and 1 rescue station (Vitebsk district) on water bodies were located in areas where there are no beaches.

Prosecutors also found that not all rescue posts and rescue stations on water bodies are equipped with the necessary equipment.

Following the inspection, the Vitebsk Regional Prosecutor's Office submitted a representation to the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, demanding to ensure the elimination of violations of legislation aimed at preventing emergencies and deaths of citizens on water.

 Information Service of the Vitebsk Regional Prosecutor's Office