China tries to minimize aftermaths of Amur pollution-consul

KHABAROVSK, December 18 (Itar-Tass) - Chinese specialists are building round-the-clock a dam on the Kazakevich arm to bar at least partially the flow of dangerous pollution to the Khabarovsk water intakes. “The work to build a dam will be completed before 'the Sungari slick' comes to Khabarovsk," Chinese Consul-General in Khabarovsk Fan Xianrung told Tass on Sunday.

According to the consul, it is impossible to wipe out the slick completely. “The Chinese side regrets much that the calamity took place and tries to minimize consequences with its actions.”

The consul-general noted that the Chinese government decided to dispatch the second batch of activated charcoal – 1,000 tonnes to the Khabarovsk Territory. “This coal will be brought to Khabarovsk by special trains over the next few days.” The first batch of coal – 150 tonnes and six chromotographs for water express examination were already handed over to the Khabarovsk administration. Besides, two chromotographs were handed over to the Jewish Autonomous Region.

Fan claimed that joint efforts by the Chinese and Russian sides “will help to overcome the ecological calamity”. “There are no grounds for a special concern, the more so, for panic,” he stated.

In the meantime, specialists recorded on Sunday an excess over the ceiling concentration limit of nitrobenzene for the first time of observations over the flow of “the Sungari slick” in the Amur. Express information on this recording was received from a laboratory in the town of Nizhne-Leninsky, Tass learnt from deputy director of the Water and Ecology Institute Alexei Makhinov.

According to the deputy director, “the situation provokes anxiety”. “We hoped that there would not be any excess over the ceiling concentration limit. Data of the Chinese side, which we receive daily, did not give any grounds for special concern.”

“The slick will reach soon another control post on the Amur near the village of Petrovsky (some 130 kilometers down from the Sungari mouth). Water samples will be examined there in detail as well,” he added.

The scientist noted that the Tectonics and Geophysics Institute conducts “measurements of other substances” with advanced equipment.