Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) yesterday organized free bus transportation for the citizens of Pljevlja to Žabljak, in order to stay in the clean air, given that enormous pollution is recorded in the northernmost Montenegrin city these days.
A large number of citizens, mostly young people, went to Žabljak. There were not enough places for everyone interested, because there were not enough buses. Two large buses and three minibuses went to Žabljak.
Executive Director of EPCG Nikola Rovčanin told "Vijesta" that, if there is interest from citizens, he will organize similar actions in the following days. A resident of Rovčan, who attended the departure of citizens to Žabljak, appealed to the local administration to introduce bus lines for the transportation of citizens to some well-known picnic spots in Pljevlja in times of pollution.
"Pljevlja was one of the most polluted cities in the world last night, and it is really necessary for all responsible companies, the state and local self-government to get involved in order to reduce the impact of polluted air on people's lives and health. "I am convinced that today the citizens of Pljevlja, by staying in nature, will in some way rehabilitate at least a small part of the consequences", said Rovčanin.
He said that in the event that increased air pollution is registered in February, the citizens of Pljevlja will be granted a 50 percent discount on electricity in that month as well.
"It is necessary for citizens who use coal to heat their apartments to switch to electric heating. I expect the action of the Municipality of Pljevlja in the form of a subsidy for heating devices and maybe for bills. I remind you that EPCG annually gives the Municipality 1,2 million euros in the form of an environmental tax, so the funds are there, all that is needed is the will to design certain actions. "Pljevlja is not the only city that has pollution, but it is certainly the only city that for decades suffered the passive attitude of all officials, all Governments and the Board of Directors until this last set, which I am really particularly proud of," said Rovčanin.
When asked by "Vijesti" how to solve the pollution problem in Pljevlja in the long term, Rovčanin said that it is the realization of the city's heating project.
"That project was supposed to be realized in 1982. I am a witness that it is small money, 10 to 15 million euros for a city that gives so much to Montenegro and that is suffering today. Within a year, we reached the contractor's contract for the first phase of heating. I am appealing to the Public Works Administration to immediately announce the second and third phases in January, where we have to shut down the boiler house in Skerlićeva. Also, certain budget funds are allocated for the secondary network. The municipality must very responsibly and very promptly approach and build a secondary network in the city's burning core, which produces enormous pollution. Another solution is to consider a tunnel breakthrough towards Prijepolje, which was advocated by some experts in order to allow ventilation. The third solution is subsidies that can be continuously continued so that citizens do not use coal. "Fourthly, schools and kindergartens should be given the opportunity to have a school in nature, and the municipality should introduce regular free lines to a recognizable picnic spot in such conditions, and escape the city from the great pollution," said Rovčanin.
He said that the first phase of heating will begin very soon and that Pljevlja must not wait for the next season with this much pollution.
He said that there are appeals from other Montenegrin cities to apply similar measures to other areas where pollution is registered, which, he said, he will consider in the coming period.
"Pljevlja is the most polluted city and this decided us, bearing in mind the mining and energy complex in Pljevlja and that 300 to 400 million euros are produced here annually at market prices, this decided us to urgently direct the intervention towards this city.
He stated that the people of Pljevlja yesterday "in agreement with our friends from Žabljak from the National Park 'Durmitor', Municipality of Žabljak and the Ski Resort Per Popović, Darko Šljivančanin i Marinko Purić, had free use of the cable car on Savina Kuk and free entrance to the Black Lake.
On December 20, the EPCG Board of Directors approved a 20 percent discount on electricity bills in the active energy section for the citizens of Pljevlja. The discount is approved for January, February and March of the following year. The EPCG board of directors then approved an additional discount of 30 percent in the active energy part of the January bills to the citizens of Pljevlja due to high air pollution.
Due to the extreme air pollution in Pljevlja, the coal mine will donate air purification to kindergartens, high school "Tanasije Pejatović", secondary vocational school, JU "Ray of hope", home for the elderly and the children's ward of the General Hospital. As announced by the President of the Board of Directors Dusan Janjušević The device is expected to be delivered in the next few days.
"Citizens of Pljevlja in the period from December 29 from 9 a.m. to January 3 in the same period were continuously exposed to increased air pollution, which is confirmed by the hourly values of suspended PM particles. In the observed period, based on unvalidated data from the application of the Environmental Protection Agency, all 120 hours of hourly values of suspended PM10 particles were above the permitted 50 micrograms per cubic meter. As many as 68 hourly values of PM10 particles were above 180 micrograms, which is very high air pollution, when, according to the recommendations of the Institute for Public Health, it is recommended that everyone avoid spending time outdoors until the air quality improves", it was stated in the joint statement of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). "Breznica" and "Ozon".
They, as they stated, since the formation of the new Government is announced, they called on the mandate holder to put solving the problem of air pollution in Pljevlje and other local communities where the problem is pronounced, such as Nikšić, Bijelo Polje and Podgorica, from the very start.
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