For several years there have been delays in the supply of fuel to remote Komi villages, seriously complicating the lives of the population. After a newspaper publication that a paramedic from the village of Danilovka and teachers from the only school in the village of Priuralskoye were ready to resign and leave because they had nothing to heat their homes with, the author of these lines was contacted by Residents of a dozen villages that also suffer from the cold, such as in Priuralskoye.
It is true that after the newspaper’s speech and the intervention of Popular Front activists, officials began to act. About 200 cubic meters of firewood were delivered to the town along the river. Some residents received firewood in their homes.
“But most of the logs remained on the shore,” says local resident Elena Retunskaya. They promised to deliver another batch of firewood to the village residents at the end of October, but officials never kept their promise. In addition, it turned out that the firewood brought burned very badly. Many logs turned out to be damp or even half-rotten, and stoves produce much more smoke than heat.
The villagers can’t wait for coal. “The village administration told me that delivery was scheduled for late November or early December,” said Vera Zolotareva, a primary school teacher in the village of Sokolovo. “Then they said no before the end of December. Do you really have to wait until the end of winter?
The firewood brought burns very badly. Many logs turned out to be damp or even half-rotten. Photo: courtesy of the executive committee section of the People’s Front of the Komi Republic
The Komi Ministry of Natural Resources says that forest plots are being selected near populated areas, where local residents or small businesses can collect firewood and then sell it to those who need fuel. But it is not clear when this will happen.
The district administration assured that the situation is “under control” and that fuel supply work is being carried out “on the basis of the fires.” According to Denis Golovko, head of the housing and communal services department of the Pechora municipal district administration, the problem arose due to the Pechora branch of the Komi Thermal Company.
The officials promised to deliver another batch of firewood, but they did not keep their promise.
In addition to supplying fuel to its coal-fired boiler houses, it also supplied coal to the population. But now the boiler rooms are being converted to gas or pellets.
“In September, the company notified us that it would no longer be engaged in the supply of coal, since they do not have the transportation or the equipment to package coal into bags,” explains Denis Golovko. – We had to take urgent measures. If all goes well, the supply of coal to the population will begin on December 15. We are trying to attract other coal suppliers to the region. I believe this work will be established next year.
Only when it is cold it is difficult to wait, a person freezes.
