Environment protection experts say the Byk River became a dead stream with no living things in it. The water there contains toxic substances that exceed the allowed norms hundreds of time. Ecologists say the Byk is on the verge of an ecological catastrophe.

Contacted by IPN, the head of the Chisinau local organization of the Ecologist Movement of Moldova Vlad Garaba said that according to the latest researches, the Byk and its tributaries are mainly dry during the year, while the massive pollution is due to the uncontrolled leakages from the Chisinau factories and gas stations, which are never fined for polluting this river.

Garaba also said that there are laws in Moldova that provide fines for the pollution of the environment, but, owing to corruption at different levels of management, the inspections carried out at the pollution sources  end with unofficial agreements.

According to Vlad Garaba, every spring volunteers of the Ecologist Movement of Moldova collect about 10 tonnes of garbage from the Byk, but the efforts are useless. The quantities of garbage thrown into the river double in several weeks. The ecologists filed dozens of applications to the state institutions, asking taking measures to save the Byk, but all in vain.

”The administration of Chisinau city does not want to bring thinks on the Byk in order. They believe that the collection of garage means the cleaning of the river. But this is not so. It’s not right to invest millions in banks, when the water is polluted and the City Hall’s plans will be ineffective if the pollution of the river is not stopped,” said Vlad Garaba, adding the authorities should take steps as the public authorities can only sound the alarm.