On the results of supervision over the enforcement of environmental and land legislation

One of the significant areas of prosecutorial activity is the supervision of the enforcement of environmental and land legislation. In the past year, 115 inspections were organized on these issues, resulting in the preparation of 399 response acts, 634 individuals were brought to disciplinary, administrative, and material liability, and material damage in the amount of over 26 thousand rubles was compensated.

Thus, serious attention was paid to the issues of supervising compliance with legislation in water protection zones and coastal strips of water bodies.

As the results of supervisory measures show, many livestock farms and complexes located in water protection zones not only do not comply with the requirements of the legislation due to the absence of devices and structures preventing the pollution of water bodies, but are also kept in improper condition. Proper measures are not taken for the timely removal of organic matter from the territories of farms and complexes and for the diking of its storage sites, which leads to runoff into adjacent areas and creates a real threat of water body pollution. In addition, the territory of the named agro-industrial facilities is often contaminated with household and construction waste, and the remains of deceased farm animals.

Such facts were revealed in agricultural enterprises of Chashniki, Tolochin, Shumilino, Vitebsk, Beshenkovichi districts.

Many water users (94, most of whom are agricultural organizations) conduct economic activities without a permit for special water use. Moreover, unauthorized water use often occurs for a long time – for several years.

When studying the state of legality in the coastal strips and water protection zones of water bodies leased for fishing and fish farming (there are more than 100 of them in the region), facts of unauthorized construction of buildings and structures near these water bodies were established (Polotsk, Shumilino, Vitebsk, Lepel districts), which

served as the grounds for prosecutors to take appropriate response measures.

There are cases of improper performance of their duties by lessees of water bodies, which is to some extent facilitated by the lack of proper control in this area by local executive committees (Rossonsky, Polotsky, Shumilinsky, Dokshitsky, Beshenkovichsky, and other districts).

Issues of efficient land use are relevant. Cases are widespread when residential buildings, construction of which was started (sometimes more than 5-7 years ago), are not completed (often only foundations exist, the plots are overgrown with weeds), and conservation of such structures has not been carried out. Such violations have been identified in Polotsky, Miorsky, Lioznensky, Gluboksky, Orshansky, Postavsky, and other districts.

Based on the identified violations of the law, prosecutors have taken appropriate response measures. The Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee has been informed of the results of the supervisory activities by the regional prosecutor's office in order to improve the quality of departmental control in the field of environmental protection.

Senior Assistant Prosecutor of the Region
for Supervision of Environmental Legislation Enforcement
Elena Kozlova