The plot on the bank of the Cijevna River where the company "Tehnoput" is building an asphalt production plant is located in an industrial zone where these activities are permitted according to spatial planning documentation. The Municipality of Zeta will have to adopt a Spatial-Urban Plan (SPA) with which it will plan its development, i.e. decide whether this space will remain an industrial zone or convert it.
This is what the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officially told "Vijesta". The agency has recently approved the environmental impact assessment report for the asphalt base of the company "Tehnoput", and the plant is planned on the lower reaches of the Cijevna near the Zeta settlement of Mahala. The EPA clarified that this is a temporary consent, which, like the planning document, is valid until 2025. That part of Zeta, where two such facilities are already operating, was categorized as "Services and warehouses", and over time it was transformed into an industrial zone.
The Municipality of Zeta previously told "Vijesta" that the relocation of the bases must be foreseen by the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property, and that Zeta will demand this during the development of detailed urban plans (DUP).
The residents of nearby Mahala and the state enterprise Regionalni Vodovod have already filed an appeal against the consent given by the EPA. The state-owned company believes that this facility threatens the Bolje sestra water source, while the residents of the lower reaches of the Cijevna do not want a polluting facility 200 meters from their houses. "Technoput" already had a base at this location, but it was closed, and they are planning a new facility on a plot not far from the old one. This company said that there will be no pollution of water, air or land.
Industry is always a risk for citizens
The proximity of houses to an industrial zone, as pointed out by the EPA, always carries the risk of negative consequences for the health, living conditions and comfort of citizens, but they added that the base is located in an area where it is allowed to operate. They state that the competent inspection can prohibit the operation of the facility, if it is determined that it pollutes the air above the limit values. They emphasized that according to the study, during optimal operation of the base, these values will not be exceeded and that through monitoring, the level of impact of its operation on air quality will be determined.
"There is no industrial production that does not have a negative impact on the environment, and by disrupting segments of the environment, human health can also be affected. The Elaborate presents data related to the possible impacts of asphalt base operation on air quality, as well as a technical solution for a filter plant for the purification of gases generated during the production process. The possible impacts on the environment and the environment are also described, as well as the measures that will be implemented in order to reduce the impacts to the smallest possible extent," states the EPA's response.
Residents of Mahala and the surrounding settlements of the lower reaches of the Cijevna previously told "Vijesta" that the public debate on this study was scheduled during the annual holidays in August last year, and that the entire process was non-transparent. The EPA stated that they organized the public discussion and informed the interested authorities, organizations and the public about everything. They state that the notice on the discussion and the holding of the public forum, along with the report, were available on the EPA website and that the notice was published in the daily newspaper "Pobjeda", and that everything was done in accordance with the Law on Environmental Impact Assessment. They also emphasized that the determination of technological conditions is not within the competence of the EPA.
EPA Director Milan Gazdić previously announced that the Committee for Evaluation of the Elaborate, due to the risk to the spring, Bolje sestra, during the evaluation of the document, also asked for the opinion of the Water Administration, after which it was determined that the base is not located in the sanitary protection zone of the water source and that it is 5,6 kilometers away from that source. The Administration subsequently clarified that they did not issue a water permit to "Tehnoputa".
The consent given by the EPA had the possibility of an appeal of 15 days, which was submitted by the Regional Waterworks. The state-owned company previously told "Vijesta" that they protect the sanitary protection of the source, and that if their complaint is not accepted, they will initiate proceedings against the Water Administration and the EPA with the competent authorities and institutions.
"Technoputa" has already defended its work
The original "Technoput" asphalt base was closed in 2022 because it worked on state land and without the necessary permits. They started moving to a new plot in early 2023, but the process was suspended due to a lack of documentation and a violation of the official seal.
Then the owner of the company, Saša Aćimić, was arrested, on suspicion of building without registration and violating the official seal. Aćimić was released after three days to defend himself, and an indictment was filed against him and the company, the dispute over which is still ongoing.
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