Environmental Issues

The Beshenkovichi District Prosecutor's Office, in cooperation with specialists from the Vitebsk Regional Inspectorate for Wildlife and Plant Protection, conducted a monitoring of the implementation of environmental legislation by agricultural organizations in the district.

Articles 52, 53 of the Water Code of the Republic of Belarus and Article 41 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On Environmental Protection" oblige legal entities operating agricultural facilities, whose land plots are located within water protection zones, to comply with the regime of economic and other activities therein, and to carry out measures for the protection of land (including soil), subsoil, water, and objects of flora and fauna.

During inspections of livestock facilities of OAO "Beshenkovichi Agroservice", ZAO "ASB Agro-Novator", GP "Plissy-Agro", located in water protection zones of various water bodies, it was found that the aforementioned business entities do not comply with the specified legislative requirements.

The main violations were: untimely cleaning of manure storage facilities and removal of organic matter from farm territories, which leads to its accumulation in significant quantities near livestock premises, and the absence of embankments preventing the spread of liquid manure fractions over adjacent land plots.

At the same time, untreated manure-containing wastewater and livestock waste are one of the most dangerous sources of water pollution.

The critical situation resulting from the operation of certain livestock facilities requires urgent and drastic measures to change it in order to prevent both environmental and economic damage, which is determined by the cost of eliminating the negative consequences of environmental pollution, including lakes and rivers located in the Beshenkovichi district.

Following the raid activities, the district prosecutor submitted representations to the heads of GP "Plissy-Agro", OAO "Beshenkovichi Agroservice", ZAO "ASB Agro-Novator", and the chairman of the Beshenkovichi District Executive Committee, demanding effective measures to eliminate violations of environmental legislation, and the causes and conditions that contributed to them.

The Vitebsk Interdistrict Inspectorate for Wildlife and Plant Protection was instructed to prepare administrative offense cases against officials of business entities for violating the regime of water protection zones of water bodies or the water protection regime in watersheds, and their pollution.

Assistant District Prosecutor
2nd Class Lawyer
V.V. Larkova