Housing and communal services, roads, and hogweed: what issues residents of the Vitebsk region raised during Nikolai Sherstnev's "hotline"

The "Direct Line" with the Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee, Nikolai Sherstnev, began a few minutes before the announced time. Before communicating with the residents of the Vitebsk region, the head of the region focused on the issue of eliminating the consequences of the natural disaster that struck last night. Rains and strong gusty winds de-energized many settlements, tore off the roofs of private houses and outbuildings, and felled trees in the forest and along the roads.

During the roll call of districts, the scale of destruction was clarified, and it was determined what needed to be done urgently. Thus, due to bad weather, one-third of the Ushachi district was de-energized, and lightning killed nine cows in a pasture. In Shumilino, 70 facilities were left without electricity. Roofs of residential buildings were torn off in Sennensky, Rossony, Vitebsk, and other districts. As reported by the chairmen of the district executive committees, all emergency and construction crews are working in an enhanced mode.

– First of all, we need to help people – to restore the roofs of residential buildings. If it is not possible to cope on our own, assistance will be provided with materials and labor, – noted Nikolai Sherstnev.

The head of the region also emphasized that anomalous weather cataclysms require consideration of installing autonomous generators at large livestock complexes. While a power outage is not so significant for a small farm, it has serious consequences for a robotic complex.

During the "Direct Line," only one call was received related to the troubles caused by the natural disaster. This indicates that people were explained everything on the ground, and they themselves see that all efforts are focused on eliminating the consequences of the bad weather. The majority of the questions, however, concerned traditional topics: housing and communal services and roads.

An analysis of individual appeals, as noted by Nikolai Sherstnev, leads to the conclusion that the relevant services are negligent in performing their duties, and a service investigation should be conducted regarding some of them.

In particular, this concerns the house at 8 Truda Street in Vitebsk. It was commissioned in August last year, and the new residents immediately had remarks about the quality of work. The main problem is the cracks that have appeared in the brickwork of the walls. A woman, who appealed to the chairman of the regional executive committee on behalf of the homeowners' association, said that the residents had written to various authorities on this issue, and an inspection was carried out at the initiative of the association, during which deficiencies were identified. Beacons were installed on the walls, but they are falling out and further damaging the masonry.

– We bought the apartments with our own money, and we were sold a substandard product. And most importantly, we want to live in safety, – the woman concluded.

Nikolai Sherstnev addressed the relevant services:

– The mistake must be corrected at the expense of the one who made it. And strictly hold negligent designers or builders accountable.

Two calls were received from residents of the same house at 223 Leningradskaya Street in Vitebsk. According to them, utility workers dismantled the storm drain several months ago and have done nothing since. Rainwater is flowing into the entrance, and after yesterday's downpour, it flooded an apartment on the first floor. Specialists were urgently sent to this address. The chairman of the city executive committee, Nikolai Orlov, promised that a comprehensive inspection of the house would be carried out in the near future, with the aim of starting major repairs next year.

Residents of houses on Shenyagina and Shmidta streets in Polotsk complained about utility services, where the water becomes hot only after a long time of draining, and is often absent altogether. There are many complaints about yard cleaning in Vitebsk. Services do not respond to these and other inquiries made to the 115 hotline and to the housing management offices.

The head of the region instructed the first deputy head of the main department of housing and communal services of the regional executive committee, Dmitry Gerasimov, who was present at the "direct line," to investigate and, where necessary, make personnel decisions regarding such negligent employees.

– Everything must be put in order. And not in a rush, with brooms in hand after a call to the regional executive committee, but systematically. We are overwhelmed with people's complaints, we need to deeply understand how to improve the work on cleaning up yard areas, and think about the wages of janitors and plumbers. So that competent, professional, and responsible people work in this sphere, – emphasized Nikolai Sherstnev.

The second problem that residents of the Vitebsk region turn to the head of the region with is roads. The road between the settlements of Rybaki – Kotovo is overgrown with weeds and trees, and it is impassable in the thaw to the village of Vystavka. This is in the Vitebsk district. It is difficult to walk with a stroller on 1-ya Bitylevskaya street in the regional center, it is dangerous for children to walk on the roadway (and there is no other option) in the settlement of Ponizye, Orshansky district. It is impossible to get to the burial place of the residents of the burned village of Barsuki in the Shumilinsky district. All these appeals have been taken under control, and road workers must carry out the relevant work in the near future.

However, the issue raised by a resident of the village of Uvoloki, Ushachsky district, concerning the overgrowth of hogweed approaching residential buildings, will be submitted to the next meeting of the regional executive committee. Nikolai Sherstnev drew the attention of district leaders to cases of poor-quality treatment of hogweed-infested areas with chemical agents and untimely struggle with this poisonous weed.

In total, the head of the region received 26 calls. Residents of various regions of the Vitebsk region appealed with proposals to provide benefits for pensioners to visit swimming pools, create conditions for sports for people with disabilities, regarding employment and unfair dismissal, and allocation of a plot for building a house on which power transmission poles are located. Even before the end of the "hotline," one of the problems was solved. A resident of the village of Skrydlevo, Vitebsk district, reported that water was flowing from a public pipe onto his plot. He had contacted the water utility several times since June 10, and they replied: everything has been done, but the water is still flowing. Until he called Nikolai Sherstnev.

One call stood out from the series of complaints and requests – from a resident of the village of Bolshoy Polsvizh, Lepel district, who asked to express words of gratitude to a worker of the city heating company.

– Nothing can surprise me except for the kindness with which the city heating company worker treated me, – said the woman and wished that only words of gratitude from the region's residents would be received on the "direct line" to the head of the region.

Tatyana Pasternak, photo by Dmitry OSIPOV, "Vitebskiye vesti".