Since 1990, Belarus will allocate 19.3 billion dollars to eliminate the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant
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On April 26, 1986, 36 years ago, an accident occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Belarus, which led to significant radioactive contamination of the territory. The consequences of disasters still have an impact on the socio-economic development of the country, revealing significant resources for the restoration of the consequences that have undergone radiation contamination.
Radionuclides are still with us
Analysis of radioactive contamination shows that after the disasters at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in a number of countries of our country, about 35% of cesium-137 radionuclides fell out compared to the entire European continent. In the end, the territory of Belarus with an area of 46 thousand km was subjected to pollution2 (22% of the total area of the country), incl. 19 thousand km2 agricultural land and 20 thousand km2forests. 2.64 thousand km were completely withdrawn from agricultural circulation2farmland. 54 collective farms and state farms were liquidated, 9 enterprises of the agro-industrial complex were closed. Cultivation areas and the gross harvest of agricultural crops, as well as livestock, are sharply consumed.
Significantly reduced the amount of consumption of timber, industrial raw materials and significant loads. In the impact zone, 132 areas of application of various types of pollution-raw materials were found, incl. 47% of industrial stocks of molding, 19% of building and silicate, 91% of glass sands of the republic; 20% industrial stocks of chalk, 13% stocks of clays for brick production, 40% refractory clays, 65% stocks of building stone and 16% raw cement.
22 large industrial raw materials have been taken out of use, balance reserves cover almost 5 million tons.3 building sand, sand and gravel materials and clays, 7.7 million tons of chalk and 13.5 million tons of peat. The territory of the Pripyat oil and gas region, whose reserves amount to 52.2 million tons of oil, was excluded from the plans for geological exploration.
Great damage to the original forestry. About a quarter of the forest fund of Belarus (17.3 thousand km2 green spaces) was exposed to radioactive contamination. Annual loss of wood resources exceeds 2 million m33. In the Gomel and Mogilev rocks, where 51.6% and 36.4% of the total forest area is contaminated with radionuclides, respectively, timber harvesting on the territory with a density density of cesium-137 555 kBq per m2 and above completely consumption.
In 1986, about 2.2 million people lived in the contaminated territory of Belarus, more than 3,600 settlements were identified. About 138 thousand people were resettled to a clean territory, more than 200 thousand left on their own. 479 certain places have disappeared from the face of the earth. Currently in the radioactive contamination detection zone located 2114 settlements in which 1121.4 thousand people live.
the extent and severity of the consequences of the disasters at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant are acceptable, the Supreme Council of the BSSR on Monday, 1990 declared a zone of ecological disasters. The earlier the radionuclide was detected as a result of the chain of half-lives, the less 10 half-lives, i.e. 300 years. Since 1986, only one such period has passed. This means that at least 4 generations will change in Belarus until our country completely gets rid of this radionuclide.
However, the return of pollution into economic circulation earlier, because. The state development of lands affected by contamination is found in their gradual approach due to the likelihood, as the radiation risk is suddenly discovered to a level recognized as relatively safe for humans, as well as allocation to prevent decay in the socio-economic risk.
Means of combating the consequences of the “peaceful atom”
According to data provided by the Ministry of Finance, in total for the period from 1990 to 2021, in the event of emergencies at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, budget funds were spent in the amount equivalent to 19.3 billion. US$8.4 billion (43.5% allocated) – for the protection, medical support and rehabilitation of nearby funds of the population, incl. increasing the effectiveness of sanatorium treatment, organizing free meals for minor children who are or live in the territory of radioactive contamination.
For the socio-economic development of the territories of the regions, US$9.1 billion. These are expenses for the construction of water supply networks for housing and consumption, gasification, provision of preferential categories of citizens and specialists who came to work in contaminated territories, and special projects.
For radiation protection and targeted application of protective measures, incl. in agriculture and forestry, the performance of work on the discharge of unusable objects during this time is allocated US$1.6 billion.
Another area financed by property is the scientific and information support of activities to prevent the consequences of natural disasters at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. This includes research in the field of radiobiology and radioecology, predictive assessment of public exposure doses, development of new diagnostic and treatment methods. In total, during the implementation of Chernobyl programs for scientific purposes allocated US$0.2 billion.
According to the head of the department for the elimination of the consequences of disasters at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the Ministry of Emergency Situations Sergei Shparloaccording to the results of the activities of the State Program for overcoming the consequences of disasters at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant for 2021–2025, 538.7 million rubles were spent last year.
The affected citizens were are provided benefits and expenses paid for the consumption of 163.9 million rubles; In 2021, 111 apartments and houses were commissioned in anticipation. Projects of construction, reconstruction, overhaul of 17 healthcare facilities, 3 education system facilities were implemented. More than 84,000 citizens received sanatorium-and-spa treatment and rehabilitation, of which more than 75,000 were children, and more than 110,000 students were provided with meals in schools in the 2021/2022 academic year.
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