The Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development has issued an enforcement decision ordering the sealing of the boiler room facility on Skerlićeva Street in Pljevlja, announced DOO "Grijanje" Pljevlja.
According to the decision, the sealing has been announced for tomorrow at 12 noon, which will result in an interruption in the supply of thermal energy.
"The company is aware that its work can have an impact on the environment and has continuously undertaken activities aimed at reducing pollution, for which there are relevant indicators - the Report of the Center for Ecotoxicological Measurements. Despite the better results achieved and the efforts made, the competent Ministry still issued a Decision to discontinue the supply of thermal energy," the statement from the Heating management states.
During the procedure, as stated by DOO "Grijanje", they repeatedly warned the competent institutions that the decision was being made during a period of extremely low temperatures, and that a complete shutdown of heating could have serious consequences for citizens.
"We believe it is inhumane to leave users without a basic service in these circumstances, especially considering the health and social aspects," the statement said.
According to the company, around 400 users will be left without heating, as well as a large number of institutions, including the Municipality of Pljevlja, the Assembly building, the Cultural Center, the Basic State Prosecutor's Office, the Basic Court, the Pljevlja Coal Mine, as well as other companies and institutions.
"Grijanje" also warns of the possible technical consequences of an interruption in the supply of heat energy, stating that the system's shutdown could lead to damage to installations, malfunctions and long-term problems, both for users and for the company itself.
Although they express regret for the consequences that this measure will have, DOO "Grijanje" says that they will respect the decision made.
At the same time, they appeal to the competent ministry and Prime Minister Milojko Spajić to take into account the upcoming holidays and citizens' need for uninterrupted heating, and emphasize that they are open to dialogue in order to find a solution that would simultaneously protect the environment and the basic needs of the population.
The Mayor of Pljevlja, Dario Vraneš, also spoke out about the announced closure of the boiler room, telling "Vijesti" that he sees this measure as pressure on citizens.
"A classic retaliation, because the people of Pljevlja finally raised their heads and opposed the poisoning. In this way, the Ministry is trying to discipline the citizens. I believe in a decisive response from the citizens tomorrow," said Vranes.
The environmental inspection recently ordered the director of "Grijanje" Pljevlja, Vlado Tošić, to close the boiler room on Skerlićeva Street, even though, according to him, the pollution measurement results have never been better.
Tošić points out that exceedances of pollutants have been significantly reduced compared to the previous year.
"Last year, particulate matter exceeded the limit 20 times, while this year only four were recorded. Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) exceeded the limit more than seven times last year, and only twice this year. Arsenic exceeded the limit four times last year, and twice this year," Tošić told "Vijesti".
He adds that in April this year, measurements showed that there were no exceedances on any day, while in October, there were, as he claims, only minor deviations. During that period, he says, the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant was not operating, which, as he points out, confirms that the boiler house is not the biggest air polluter in the city.
"Unlike last year, this year the measurements were taken over two days and the results have never been better. Now such a drastic decision is being made," said the director of "Grijanje".
"Grijanje" workers refused to turn off the boilers due to the risk of burst pipes and major material damage, but also due to the fact that thousands of citizens in the center of Pljevlja would be left without heating.
About ten days ago, the Center for Ecotoxicological Testing (CETI) conducted measurements of pollutants emitted from the chimneys of boiler houses on Skerlićeva Street.
The boiler house on Skerlićeva has been the subject of harsh criticism for years, and according to previous reports, it burns a large amount of coal every day, which has resulted in exceeding the permitted levels of pollutants emitted from the chimney, attached to one of the residential buildings.
Tošić says that for the first time, measurements were taken on a vertical chimney, while previously they were done on a horizontal chimney, practically at the very exit from the boilers.
The heating season in Pljevlja officially began in early October after the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development annulled the decision of the Environmental Protection Agency from July this year, which prohibited the operation of the city boiler house on Skerlićeva Street.
On December 26th of last year, the Environmental Inspection banned Grijanje from carrying out the activity of producing and delivering heat energy because the analyses conducted by CETI showed that the concentrations of powdery substances, carbon monoxide and arsenic were above tolerance limits.
The heating company then contacted the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development with a proposal to postpone the execution of the environmental inspector's decision, and after their urgency, the environmental inspector extended the deadline for executing the decision until May 15, when the ban on the boiler room's operation came into effect again.
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