The locals from the villages of Chetrosu and Merenii Noi, Anenii Noi district, organized a protest on Monday, September 9, on the bridge over the river Bâc. People say they can no longer bear the unpleasant stench that has been increasingly felt lately. The residents signed a petition addressed to state leadership and to the relevant parliamentary committee, which describes the pollution of the Bâc river and the consequences of this phenomenon.
“The stench is simply unbearable in the morning and in the evening. All day long you keep your windows closed because of the hot sun and in the evening and in the morning, when you want to open the windows for a mouthful of fresh air, the air is unbearable due to the unpleasant odour", said Ludmila Costețchi, resident of Chetrosu village.
Local councilor Arcadie Baciu says both Chetrosu and Merenii Noi are two settlements located right on the bank of the Bâc river and the residents are daily subjected to this "scent". According to him, during his childhood, Bâc river was good for fishing, while currently "you are afraid to soak your feet into the water, because you might damage your skin". "We do not ask for Moțoc’s head, but we all want to sit at the negotiating table with the local public authorities, with the municipal authorities, with the central bodies, the Parliament, the Government, the responsible bodies, including from" Apă-Canal Chișinău", as to identify a long-term solution”, said the councilor.
Sergiu Leu, geography and biology professor at the local school, pointed out that the Bâc river has become extremely polluted, which is a serious problem not only for the population, but for the entire ecosystem. In his opinion, the river, which according to specialists is practically a "dead" one, can be brought back to life. In this regard, several actions are needed, including the construction of a modern wastewater treatment plant.
Sergiu Postica, an economic agent, says the situation has worsened over the course of the last month. In his opinion, the situation is similar to that of about three years ago. Then, the same problem occurred in mid-September, when similar protests were organized. Under these conditions, says Sergiu Postica, the authorities have to investigate what economic activity, characteristic for this period, produces such outcomes and who is responsible for the discharge of wastewater into the river. The entrepreneur added that the wastewater treatment plant is in deplorable shape and that water comes and goes, being only filtered through a sieve.
Rodica Chigai, Merenii Noi Gymnasium director, says that the school is located near the Bâc river and that the children are forced to endure the stench that the water emanates. "We want to have a clean river, clean water and clean air in order to have healthy future generations", said Rodica Chigai.
Maria Coroliov, a resident of Merenii Noi, said that her home is quite close to the river and that she is forced to keep her windows closed. During this summer, the smell became unbearable. "At first I thought that the stench came from dead animals and I went to look for them, however, I realized that the smell comes from the Bâc river", Maria Coroliov said. The woman recalls that in the past, the river had a high water flow rate and that sometimes the river flooded the area. There is little water left now, however, there is a lot of dirt.
