russias lake baikal extremely polluted putin warns
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Russia's Lake Baikal 'extremely polluted', Putin warns

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Russia's Lake Baikal 'extremely polluted', Putin warns

Lake Baikal is a UNESCO World Heritage site
Moscow - AFP

Russia's Lake Baikal, the world's deepest freshwater lake, has extremely high pollution levels, President Vladimir Putin warned Friday while visiting the Siberian lake.

Lake Baikal is a UNESCO World Heritage site, the world's deepest lake at 1,700 metres (5,580 feet) and also the oldest at 25 million years. Tourists flock there to enjoy the unique wildlife and clear waters.

Putin, while meeting officials in a room looking onto the shimmering waters of the lake, complained that "significant areas around Baikal have suffered extremely high pollution."

Saying that Baikal "belongs to the entire planet," Putin insisted that preserving it for future generations is "undoubtedly a government priority."

The Russian strongman has declared that environmental issues are a personal passion and has spent time tracking whales and tigers and even flown with migrating cranes. In 2009 he went down to the bottom of Lake Baikal in a mini-submarine.

But he was also instrumental in keeping a polluting factory open beside the lake and has presided over a crackdown on environmental activists and non-governmental organisations, including those specifically trying to protect Baikal.

On Friday, Putin called for officials to pay "special attention" to clean up the aftermath of "irrational and often irresponsible economic activity" around the lake, and to prevent such damage happening again.

A giant Soviet-built paper mill right beside the lake sullied its waters for decades but it was finally closed in 2013. Putin had reopened the plant in 2010 after it initially shut in 2008, citing concerns over employment for local residents.

Putin said the lake's waters were now being polluted by household sewage and chemicals from farming, citing the need to "drastically cut down the volume of untreated water being discharged into the lake." 

He called for the Prosecutor-General's Office to carry out a check into illegal and environmentally damaging activity around the lake and "take the necessary measures."

In 2013, a group campaigning to protect the lake called Baikal Wave, was dubbed a "foreign agent" under tough new legislation targeting NGOs with foreign funding. 

The group, founded in 1990, closed down in 2016, saying it had become impossible for it to function.

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

russias lake baikal extremely polluted putin warns russias lake baikal extremely polluted putin warns

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

russias lake baikal extremely polluted putin warns russias lake baikal extremely polluted putin warns

 



GMT 08:12 2017 Tuesday ,28 November

Government launches a campaign to eliminate corruption

GMT 18:43 2018 Thursday ,20 September

Russian PM does not rule out expansion of trade wars

GMT 09:28 2017 Saturday ,30 December

Ski jumping: 40,000 to see Four Hills take leap of faith

GMT 19:31 2017 Sunday ,16 April

Iran to export gas to Iraq

GMT 03:14 2017 Monday ,17 April

Kazakhstan Ambassador hails ties with Oman

GMT 20:57 2017 Wednesday ,20 September

Dubai Customs launches Partners’ Happiness Lab

GMT 18:32 2017 Monday ,30 October

CBE governor directs banks to expand funding

GMT 14:58 2017 Sunday ,19 February

Dhoni removed as Pune captain, Smith to take over

GMT 14:35 2017 Thursday ,19 January

Naidu comes to the defence of 'Dangal' actress Zaira

GMT 18:06 2016 Tuesday ,06 December

HHA launches Geely X7 Sport 4WD in Saudi market

GMT 05:42 2017 Saturday ,01 April

Toshiba soars on reports of memory chip unit bid

GMT 16:00 2018 Tuesday ,30 October

Five killed in Daesh attack in central Libya

GMT 01:37 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

Education Minister congratulates Bahrain Bayan School

GMT 13:01 2015 Sunday ,23 August

New Suez Canal Project achievement for all Arabs
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday