Results of supervision over the enforcement of environmental and land legislation

One of the problematic issues for the Vitebsk region is the failure of agricultural organizations to comply with environmental legislation requirements when operating livestock farms and complexes, more than 350 of which are located in the water protection zones of water bodies.

At many agricultural enterprises, adequate measures are not taken to prevent water pollution. In the absence of appropriate devices and structures that prevent the pollution of water resources, the removal of organic matter from the territories of farms and complexes is not always carried out in a timely and complete manner, which leads to runoff into adjacent areas and creates a real threat of pollution of both land and water bodies.

Such violations occurred at agricultural enterprises in Polotsk, Shumilino, Tolochin, Verkhnedvinsk, Braslav, Liozno districts, and others in practically all regions of the oblast.

Numerous violations of legislation were established during the inspection of compliance with waste management legislation, including during the operation of solid municipal waste (SMW) disposal sites, as well as the exercise of state regulation and control functions in this area by territorial bodies of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.

In particular, in addition to the non-compliance of SMW disposal sites with the established requirements for protective structures that prevent environmental pollution (Postavy, Dokshitsy, Vitebsk, Beshenkovichi, Tolochin districts, and others), isolated cases of secondary material resources not subject to disposal being found at these sites (Sennno, Vitebsk, Tolochin, Ushachi, Sharkovshchina, Orsha districts, and others), as well as littering of access roads and territories adjacent to SMW mini-landfills were revealed.

Contrary to the requirements of the legislation, individual residential buildings are located within the sanitary protection zone of the MSW mini-landfills in the Sharkovshchina and Dokshitsy districts, and the MSW landfill in the Rossony district is located within the water protection zone of a water body.

The violations indicated point to shortcomings on the part of the housing and communal services organizations servicing MSW disposal facilities, local executive committees, as well as insufficient control in this area by the territorial bodies of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. Violations were also found in the activities of these bodies when issuing permits for the storage and disposal of production waste, when organizations were issued permits for waste disposal despite having facilities for the utilization and neutralization of such waste that accepted it from third-party organizations (Vitebsk Regional Committee, Orsha City and District, Sharkovshchina District Inspectorate of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, etc.).

During the supervision of the enforcement of land protection and use legislation, cases were identified where executive committees failed to take measures to eliminate facts of unauthorized construction, including on illegally occupied land plots near water bodies. Such violations were committed in Gorodok, Senno, Lepel and some other districts.

Facts of untimely development of land plots allocated for the construction and maintenance of residential buildings continue to occur. At the same time, local executive committees do not respond properly to the inefficient use of land and do not take timely measures provided for by law to terminate rights to such land plots. Similar violations were identified in Dokshitsy, Chashniki, Gorodok districts.

In addition, officials of the land management departments of city and district executive committees commit violations in conducting administrative proceedings. There are cases of imposing administrative penalties on citizens in the form of fines in amounts not provided for by legislation (both overstated and understated, Dubrovno, Miory districts, Vitebsk city).

Despite the identification of a significant number of violations of land protection and use legislation, the issue of bringing perpetrators to administrative responsibility is not always resolved (Vitebsk city, Polotsk district). Shortcomings are allowed in the transfer of information about identified administrative offenses to internal affairs bodies (Dokshitsky, Ushachsky, Chashniksky districts).

Appropriate prosecutorial response measures have been taken to eliminate the identified violations.

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