He said he would ask Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek to hold a cabinet meeting in the Usti region in the next months that would deal with the issue. Sulc recalled that the current law orders mining companies to give money to the repair of environmental damage, but he pointed out that the sums were too low and the revitalisation often had to be covered from local budgets. He proposed that Czech PM Topolanek to visit Canada next week ...
Czech-U.S.
radar treaty to include chapter on link with NATO ...
Samizdat editions of Lidove Noviny go online ... the sums paid by mining companies be raised by 30 percent and the extra money go directly to the municipalities in the mining area. The aim is to bring people back to the land where coal was mined, Sulc said. He said the amendments would be beneficial not only for the coal-mining regions of Usti and Karlovy Vary, west Bohemia, but also for other areas in the country where other minerals were mined. Coal mining has affected some 350 km2 in the Usti region. The mining has affected also people's health. The average life span was 2.2 year lower in the region than in the rest of the Czech Republic, Sulc noted. In 2001, the Czech government earmarked 15 billion crowns for the revitalisation of the landscape in northwest Bohemia. Most of the money has already been distributed. At present, 1.32 billion crowns for municipalities and 1.96 billion crowns for mining companies remain in the fund. However, Sulc said further 4.3 billion crowns were needed for the repair of all environmental damage. ($1=16.078 crowns)
(Ceske Noviny)
more info >>
<< Back