Komsomolskaya Pravda: "Construction of the century to become closer to nature"
During yesterday's working meeting with Vladimir Kirillov, the head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin asked how the environmental situation was being monitored at the Sochi Olympics venues, construction sites for the APEC summit, and the Baikal pulp and paper mill. Mr Kirillov replied that the workers building the highway to Sochi, which extends from the airport up to the Krasnaya Polyana mountain ski resort, replanted the rare vegetation species that were growing in the construction area to other places.
"Were they replanted?" Mr Putin asked
"Yes", the head of the service said. "The same goes for the project to carry out cleaning operations at the Golden Horn Bay in Vladivostok."
"But the Golden Horn Bay has nothing to do with future facilities for the APEC summit," the prime minister noted.
"Well, it's in the same area," Mr Kirillov replied.
"Yes, but it's a different issue," the prime minister insisted. "I believe we'll be able to carry out a few additional projects through the preparations for the APEC summit to resolve several environmental problems."
Vladimir Kirillov also reported that new waste treatment facilities at the Baikal pulp and paper mill had been constructed in the city and emissions to the lake were reduced.
"Despite the fact that production volumes at the mill fell somewhat, companies increased their financing to address environmental issues more effectively," Vladimir Putin stressed.
Vladimir Kirillov praised the Lipetsk steel mill for its environmental standards.
"They use the closed-loop water cycle," Kirillov said. "The same applies to air emissions, which fell by 4.5 million tons."
"Metal producers have contributed a great deal to this" the prime minister said. "They're utilising modern advanced technology, almost green technology."
