The loss of workers at the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill

Aug. 17 around 11 am in the brewhouse BPPM inside schelokootdelitelya № 3 (pot height of 3-4 meters, it does not run from the opening of the plant), were found the bodies of two workers - 52-year-old Victor Alibekova and 40-year-old Victor Vostritsova. Supposedly men suffocated pairs of unknown toxic gas.

Now it is investigating the accident special committee, composed of experts RTN and labor inspection. Its outcome would be known on September 1.

On that fateful day at work was the statement of work near schelokootdelitelya number 3: they had to install scaffolding for cleaning equipment.How men found themselves inside the boiler is not known. According to relatives, working illegally forced to install wooden flooring inside schelokootdelitelya, before it made no measurements in the presence of residues of toxic substances in the equipment. Relatives of the victims believe that the cause of death of workers in the painful attempt to hide.

- In the morning Dad, as always, went to work - says the eldest daughter of Victor Alibekova Julia.- In the painful, he worked for 33 years, has long been in the repair and construction team together with his friend Victor Vostritsovym, well versed in the equipment plant.

Julia Alibekova found witnesses who were at the site where the workers in a few minutes after the incident. They saw that Victor Alibekov lay dead on the bottom schelokootdelitelya, and Victor Vostritsov stuck in the hatch of the boiler, trying to save another.Apparently, the release of poison gas occurred in seconds. That was enough for a lethal poison. The bodies of both the working family and then found chemical burns. The pathologist, who was making a conclusion on the death of Victor Alibekova, was unable to determine what chemical elements he was poisoned. The conclusion of this will give a forensic examination being carried out now in Irkutsk. Relatives say that because of high gas concentration and Victor Victor Alibekov Vostritsov several days refusing to work.But apparently, the prospect of the dissolution of a temporary employment contract made all the same to do so.

- In the painful terrible conditions - said Julia Alibekova. - People resign themselves to this, because in Baikalsk more nowhere to work. Receive mere penny, and fear that at any point can be fired. Everyone knows that safety at the plant is now practically not observed. The equipment is old. We have all seen it when we brought the place where my father was killed.Pipes, rotten, all around rattled, even light is not everywhere. All the men wear a weight. And no nothing.

According to relatives, workers, ready for use dangerous chemical equipment, not given special equipment, even the respirator. Only a helmet on his head. They worked in ordinary clothes, no robes.

- We have learned - the girl - that the tanks were not working special plugs, ventilation. Before starting work at the facility were not made mandatory measurements of temperature, pressure, humidity.This is what we have already said experts from the Commission of Inquiry emergency.

- On his father's death we were informed by police officers - tells Julia Alibekova. - To take away the body in the morgue, we had to hire himself a car. Directorate of Works provided meager financial aid - 35 thousand rubles (incidentally, monthly Viktor Alibekov received on the painful total 8,000 rudders!). More money is not forthcoming.

The family of the deceased of the second trade union BPPM matpomosch allocated in the amount of 5,000 rubles! Most families do not promise to pay.In Victor Vostritsova survived by his wife and three children (boys 7 to 19 years). - Victor came to work at the plant, when he was 17 years old - said the father of the deceased worker Nicholas Vostritsov. - I myself worked for many years on the painful, and I feel bad when I come back. Works down on him. Salary his son was only 12 thousand rubles. I do not know what the daughter will contain children.

Under investigation

Head of the Investigative Unit for Slyudyanka area Nikita Granik:

- Previously, our forensic expert found that the most likely poisoning occurred in pairs of alkali mixtures.Now in Irkutsk is a histological study, which would be followed by a final cause of death. All the necessary documents to work with the victims were. BPPM fully complied with all job descriptions. Now a special commission conducts an internal investigation at the plant. Establish the causes and persons responsible for violations of safety rules. If any are found, then we will be prosecuted to article 143 of the Criminal Code "Violation of the rules of safety."Today, the grounds for a criminal case no.

A little history:

2000 - March 28, IO President Putin Requests the Government of RF to urgently develop a comprehensive program of re-profiling the painful, "so as soon as possible to stop the discharge of pollutants into Lake Baikal. Based on this request, the program has been developed and the summer of 2001 was carried out its environmental expertise.Expert opinion - negative. Of the 3 phases of redevelopment, the experts recognized a permissible implementation of the first - ending drains into the lake, by closing the production cycle at the current production;

2000 - Order of the RF Government № 839-P sets the volume and direction of the Trust Fund for the Protection of Lake Baikal, where in particular provides for the construction of separate treatment facilities for the cityBaykalsk;

2001 - Chairman of the RF Government MM Kasyanov says the Resolution № 643 "list of prohibited activities in the Central ecological zone of Baikal natural territory". Pulp and paper without water, closed-loop prohibited. The boundaries of the Central Zone had still not been adopted, despite the Government Decree № 1203 - p. (1999), but the industrial site of the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill, located 100 meters from the shore of Lake Baikal, in any case falls into the central ecological zone;

2002- RF Government Order № 207 - p. approve the list of buildings and facilities for federal needs, funded from the federal budget, which once again involves the construction of separate treatment facilities for Baikalsk;

2003 - July 25, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Kasyanov at a meeting in Irkutsk make another statement on the early conversion of the plant, the termination of pulp and construction of treatment facilities for Baikalsk.

2005 - The owners of the painful - TIC Continental Management and holding company of Oleg Deripaska BazEl require additional money and offers a new redevelopment project.World Bank terminates its participation in the project. The new project has not developed. Under pressure from the authorities BPPM agrees to complete the project commissioning of the closed water circulation in the enterprise, which is only palliative and does not address other environmental problems of the enterprise.

2006. - November 27, the Decree of the RF Government № 1641-r "On Approving the boundaries of the Baikal natural territory and its ecological zones.

End of 2006.- The beginning of 2007. - The process of redevelopment and commissioning of a closed water cycle is not a dead letter, despite all the assurances of the owner of the plant. Deadline for the project in July 2007. There are reports of plans of the company to expand production while maintaining the wastewater discharges into the lake either, or in the nearby river.

April 2007. - Announced the postponement of the commissioning of a closed water circulation due to the unavailability of municipal sewage treatment plants (WWTP) Baikalsk.The new date of commissioning of the system LOU - September 15, 2008.

October 2007. - Greenpeace is conducting a study on the prospects for expanding production BPPM to 320tys.t. year. The study, prepared by an expert on the investment projects of the Higher School of Economics, disappointing: "Expert analysis of the submissions indicated that the project under consideration in the current financial climate of the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill (the existence of a large accounts payable, and the expected rise in prices for raw timber) economically untenable.Thus, the actions of the private enterprise owner dictated by non-economic motives, and hope for the project impossible.

Summer 2008. - JSC TIC Continental Management announced that the ceremony of launch of a closed water circulation at the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill will be held for 5 days ahead of time, ie 10 September 2008. However, this does not happen. First time shift on 29 September, and then canceled altogether.The representative timber KM in a telephone conversation said that the ceremonies and was not planned. After it was pointed out by the representatives of the Cabinet, said that they have the right to declare what they want.

October 2008. - BPPM announces temporary suspension of production due to lack of raw materials. Launch date factory installed on 31 October. However, almost immediately announced a reduction of about 200 workers and the painful states that the plant can not be cost effective in terms of the system of closed water supply.

End of October 2008. - JSC TIC Continental Management announces conservation BPPM if they did not receive permission to resume the discharge of sewage into the lake.Hostage situation are the workers under imminent threat of dismissal, as well as residents of Baikalsk, which promises to leave the painful in the winter without heat. In late October the factory was closed.

2009 - The entire annual plant "standing" on the background of ongoing disputes and negotiations about its opening.Neither the owner of the painful, nor the federal government is virtually no help Baikalsk residents who find themselves in a difficult situation due to its "unexpected" closing. At the end of the year at the government level was taken "in principle" decision to resume production.

2010 - The first government decree signed by Putin this year, a document that allows you to resume the discharge of toxic effluents into the lake the painful, as well as store, bury and burn on its shore hazardous waste.

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