33 thousand violations of environmental law in 2003

The Ministry of Environment Protection of RK has revealed more than 33 thousand violations of environmental law in 2003. This has been reported by Aitkul Samakova, minister of environment protection, today, on 23 January, in Astana at a meeting in the ministry with participation of the prime minister of RK Danial Akhmetov, KZ-today correspondent reports.

The ministry territorial inspections have imposed more than 26 thousand fines in 2003, exempting KZT 2 billion, A. Samakova observed.

Among big violators, according to A. Samakova, there are such ventures and companies as "Petro Kazakhstan Kumkol Resources" OJSC, "Tengizchevroil" LLP, Agip KCO, Intergas Central Asia, "Karachaganak Peteroleum Operating B.V.", and other big ventures. Besides, the minister stressed, the ministry took even harsher actions against the violators of the environmental law, up to suspension of production facilities work. Particularly, such actions were taken against "Petro Kazakhstan Kumkol Resources" OJSC.

Apart from the control over the observation of law by the ministry, according to А. Samakova, new methods of work with the environment users are also applied. Bi- and trilateral memorandums on environment protection measures are concluded with them. As an example the minister spoke about such measures as an introduction of electric filters on ventures of the Eurasian Energy Corporation and a commissioning of dry cleaning facilities at the ferroalloy plant in Aksu, which allowed to reduce the discharges of harmful substances in Pavlodar oblast by 13.7 thousand tons per annum along with the general growth of production volumes.