Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend E.Huseynli / A report by the New York based Blacksmith Institute global pollution, where Azerbaijani city Sumgait was included in a list of 10 mostly polluted cities of 7 countries, was the major reason for analysis of ecological situation in Azerbaijan. In this connection it is necessary to clarify the exactness of the facts mentioned in the document. The citizens of the country should not indifferent towards this report. At any rate, the civil position should be demonstrated.
If the fact crtiticalecological situation in Sumgayit is admitted, all officials and ordinary people should be mobilized for the resolution of the problem. However, the statement by Blacksmith Institute might have commercial interests as well. In this case the report might damage the country's image.
What is the reality? Is really Sumgait exposed to serious pollution as it was during the Soviet period?
Prior to replying this question. We are obliged to publicize facts, exposing Blacksmith Institute's unprofessional analysis and serious distortions. It was revealed that the organization did not hold any monitoring in Sumgait and use the arguments of the Soviet period.
The researches revealed that Blacksmith Institute used in its report photos and some facts from the article on ecological situation in the city, published in Azerbaijan International magazine in 1994. So interesting, the facts taken from the article were distorted. Even Betty Blair, the editor-in-chief of the magazine, in her letter to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, said that the data referred in the report actually dates to Soviet period.
"During work in 1994 over the article about Sumgait major plants were not operating and no pollution was observed. We wrote about the situation in the Soviet period," the letter said.
Before developing the report Blacksmith Institute appealed to the magazine to get permission for use of photos published in the article. In her response Blair said in her letter to coordinator of the Institute, Aakdiks Singa, that the photos published in the magazine are referred to 1994, i.e. 13 years ago and do not reflect the current situation. The use of old photos in the report for 2007 is actually impossible and we cannot authorize you." Nevertheless, the Institute placed photos in the report. It is not professional approach! What objectives did the Institute pursue then including in its report facts and photos date to 1994? Did Blacksmith Institute regard Azerbaijan a 'poor country' and is eager to conclude contract on the treatment of polluted areas at the grant of international organizations?
According to ecologists, the actions by the Institute are in admissible in the civilized society. Blair shares this idea: "The reason for my suspicious attitude towards their report they use the article published in Azerbaijan International magazine in 1994 without copyrights. This is plagiarism. In their website they presented a copy of our article, dealing with childish diseases, which were included in a list of problems of Sumgait. The data were introduced through dating to 2007."
In accordance with the similar scenario in its report issued a year ago the Institute placed Sumgait in the list of the most polluted cities of the world without any research or monitoring. Probably, non-punishment of a falsification in the previous report was the key reason for this 'report'.
Ordinary citizens may not know that, but ecologists (if there are ecologists in the Institute they apprehend that very well) know that it is impossible to examine ecological state of a city in a short period during a monitoring. Simply saying, the time is too short for complex and objective estimation of the general ecological situation. How can the Institute carry out such research, if it even does not know the way to Sumgait? The ecologists have to carry out at least monthly examinations to assess the total environmental impact.
We are not aspiring to prove that there is not any ecological problem in Sumgait. The point is that the pollution in Baku is higher. Only the automobiles pollute the air by 60%. Indices on Sumgait are fully contradictory. Annual report of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources indicates that compared to the beginning of 1990s, the amount of harmful returns to air reduced by 70%, and the amount of hard returns decreased in the same amount.
If in 1990 (taking into consideration that in that period most part of enterprises) the returns thrown to the air amounted to 74,003 tons, in 2006 this figure made up 11,368 tons. On the other hand, if the amount of hard returns of city made up 165,144 tons in 1990, the figure was 2,198 tons in 2006. Moreover, if the volume of sewerage water comprised 233.6mln cu m, in 1992, in 2006 the figure reduced to 76.9 cu m.
To provide the environmental protection of the city the laboratory of the local service of Environmental Pollution of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, 3 stationary control places of the Hydrometeorology Services, laboratories of central monitoring services, laboratory of the local sanitary epidemiological centre of the Health Ministry carry out periodic researches
Independent ecologists of Azerbaijan take the same position. In reply to our inquiry Nasim Mammadov, an ecologist, said that after closing down of 20 especially ecologically dangerous and economically unprofitable workshops in Sumgait the ecological situation in the city became stabilized. The density of average annual pollution rate in the dwelling regions of the city does not exceed the sanitary norms. Swapped areas were fully drained. Measures are taken to drain the swaps appeared artificially in outskirts of the city. The construction of device for treatment of sewerage water with the capacity of 205,000 cu m a day will be complete in Sumgait soon. Measures are also taken to unload mercury at polygon specially built by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural resources. There are tens of small enterprises in Sumgait, which are mainly involved in reproducing and secondary use of garbage, which promoted the improvement of ecological state of the city.
An aluminum producing plant is working here in its full capacity.
No doubt that this plant is polluting the environment. However, that is not a ground to refer Sumgayit to the world's 10 most polluted cities. How can be Sumgayit compared to India's Vapi industrial city? Vapi has about 50 industrial enterprises, while Azerbaijan's all industrial enterprises working at full capacity make up the same number. As for the aluminum plant, Azerbaijani Government is undertaking stage-by-stage measures. In recent several years Azerbaijan assisted by the World Bank treated 40,000 of wastes in the territory of the plant.
Whilst developing the report the Project Coordinator of the Institute, Aadika Sing, made reference to the article about the ecological state of the city by the head of Sumgayit's Ecological Rehabilitation Centre, Arif Islamzadeh. In order to establish its how much that corresponds with reality we connected with the author of the article. Islamzadeh confirmed that the Institute had made use of his article for the report. He also said the information he published in his article regarded the 1990s.
"It is not known which sources Blacksmith Institute used while developing the report. I wrote the article back in 15 years ago. The Soviet Union was collapsing then. I wanted to inform the world of how the Soviet Government was destroying the city," Islamzadeh said.
Ecological situation in the city is much better now and the pollution level is low. In the Soviet period about 30 large industrial enterprises were operating in Sumgayit, but now only 10-15% of them work and not at full capacity, he said. According to him, a large synthesizing plant is operating at 15-20%, while the aluminum plant is working at 70-80% capacity. Islamzadeh believes the measures being undertaken by Azerbaijani Government intended for treatment of wastes have dramatically affected stabilization of the ecological situation in the city.
"A polygon was built to treat the soil from mercury. Initial measures on land treatment from returns are taken," he said. Nevertheless, returns of 1960s were accumulated in the land and ground of the Caspian Sea. Its negative impact should not be ignored.
According to ecologists, to remove the polluters from the soil it is necessary to replace them. At the same rime, it is necessary to destroy old workshops and carry out disinfection in their areas.
Islamzade gave to understand that the Institute made unsubstantiated statement without preliminary monitoring.
the institute should not pursue commercial interests, why it does not indicate that the article by Islamzade, cited as the source, is referred to the beginning of 1990s? And why knowing Islamzade's address they did not contact him with interests in the current ecological situation of Sumgait?
How is it possible to develop a report just observing from the United States? Is not it so naive believe in its seriousness?
Inquiry held among 100 Sumgait residents is worth attention. Some 80% of the respondents said ecological condition of the city improved several times compared to the beginning of 90s.
According to Vugar Aliyev, a Sumgait resident, large industrial enterprises were shut down in the city and its no longer a highly-polluted city.
"Earlier the city was panting with smoke. Planting of greenery and intensification of monitoring exercises in the enterprises decreased effect of the polluters," he said.
Vusala Gafarova, a Sumgait resident, also confirmed pollution reduction. In order to achieve more serious results, it is necessary to raise fines for enterprises polluting the environment, she said. (Azerbaijan Ecology & Natural Resources Ministry also suggests increasing fines).
Thus, the faked-up report of Blacksmith Institute not only harms Azerbaijan's image, a country annually receiving tens of thousand tourists, but also can negatively affect the cooperation between the countries.
A range of local and foreign experts versed in the field indicate that the report of the institute targets making business with projects on treatment of the oil polluted lands.
The Azerbaijan Ecology & Natural Resources Ministry sent a letter to the institute in this connection.
In any case, such an irresponsible approach challenges the undertaking measures within the framework of legal regulations.