‘We need to adopt some special environmental protection policy,’ Governor of Chelyabinsk Region Petr Sumin announced at the regional government’s meeting.

‘Quite a few companies are now starting to pay more attention to conservational issues, yet what we need is not only some improvements in the management system, but also stricter surveillance measures as well as making sure the environmental offenses that still occur sometimes are invariably prosecuted, and that there is always some appropriate redress. One vital issue is handling the region’s disposal sites and consumer waste. Keeping an eye on construction projects that are carried out in protected areas like Argazi water reservoir is another problem. We must provide effective punishment for the executives who care about the interests of certain elitist groups at the expense of the whole population. I am not going to put up with anyone trying to ignore the proposals and requests that come from the authorities and the local community,’ the Governor said.