Environmental associations expressed their concern about the abuses committed when building gas stations in Chisinau. In a news conference at IPN, representatives of the Urban Ecologist Movement and the National Environmental Center presented two cases of service station building on Calea Iesilor St in Chisinau. They said that a number of legal provisions are flagrantly violated in these cases.
The National Environmental Center’s head Iuliana Cantaragiu said the protection area around a gas station is 25 meters wide, but this distance up to apartment buildings wasn’t kept in the two aforementioned cases. “We see what serious violation was committed when the sanitary certificate was issued. Furthermore, the construction authorization was issued without the sanitary appraisal and ecological examination on the technical project,” she stated.
The environmental experts said the two service stations are erected at a distance smaller than 50 meters from sociocultural facilities, in the protection area of the historical and cultural monument “Cemetery with a set of monuments from Milano St”, which is situated close to “Alunelul” Park. According to them, a large number of trees of precious species were cut. In addition, the authorizations were issued without the consent of the State Ecological Inspectorate and of dwellers living nearby.
The dwellers mounted protests against the construction of the two gas stations. They said that the two stations are being built in the immediate vicinity of “Alunelul” Park. “The mothers with small kids and the elderly people form part of the categories that face the risk of suffering chronic poisoning because there are gas vapors and noxious substances. The dwellers mobilized and collected over 700 signatures against the constructions and ask the mayor to annul the construction authorization,” said dweller Dumitru Cozmolici.
According to the head of the Urban Ecologist Movement Vladimir Garaba, the new gas stations will have a negative impact on the environment as green areas, lawns and other things are being destroyed by laying concrete or asphalt. “We warn those who manage the city that they should discuss and institute a moratorium on the construction of gas stations,” he stated.
Vladimir Garaba also said that the number of service stations in the municipality of Chisinau is by about 100 larger than the number included in the station location scheme. Specialists estimated that the number of gas stations now is much higher than it is necessary for satisfying the city’s needs.
