35 questions were received during the "hotline" with the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Alexander Subbotin
A total of 35 calls were received, most of them from Vitebsk. Many complaints can be classified as seasonal. With the onset of winter frosts, people cannot warm their homes. Thermometers in apartments do not rise above 16 degrees Celsius. And freezing walls lead to dampness and mold. In particular, residents of houses No. 1 on Voinov-Internatsionalistov Street, 4th and 6th Zadornaya Streets, Karl Marx Street in the regional center, Ozernaya Street in the agro-town of Novka, Molodezhnaya Street in the agro-town of Oktyabrskaya faced such problems.
– We have been appealing to various authorities for two years, calling 115, writing to the prosecutor's office, and have a pile of responses, but the roof still leaks, ice blocks hang down, walls freeze, and it's cold in the rooms. Masters come, patch something up, but nothing fundamentally changes. If they had done everything properly once in two years and forgotten about the problem, – says a resident of the agro-town of Oktyabrskaya.
A member of the board of trustees, the mother of two students from secondary school No. 3 in Tolochin, appealed with a similar problem.
– The children are freezing. Especially in classrooms facing north. The walls are freezing. Moreover, this situation has been happening for more than one winter. We have appealed to the local authorities, they promise to do something, but so far there is no result, – explains the woman.
The head of the region took all these issues under his personal control and instructed the local leaders to find out what can be urgently fixed and what requires capital repairs. In any case, people need to be helped, and first of all, children.
Several calls concerned the operation of public transport, particularly buses that run to Mishkovo and the Bitylevo microdistrict. Many houses have been built in the territory of the former settlement. Residents need to go to work, children to school, and the elderly to the clinic. They have to wait at the bus stop for a long time. Full minibuses pass by.
Bus No. 13, the only route to Mishkovo, often fails to arrive on schedule. When people call the bus depot, they are told it has broken down. Residents of these areas have been promised a new bus and an increased number of trips.
An ambiguous decision needs to be made regarding the appeals of residents of houses on Lenina Street in Vitebsk. The goal is to ensure comfortable living for them and for those who want to spend their time enjoyably. In particular, residents of the so-called "blue" house are concerned about plans to open a establishment on the ground floor that will fry donuts. The building already has enough public catering facilities that cause inconvenience, and people would not want another production facility. Residents of house No. 12 on Lenina Street are bothered by a night bar where music plays until morning.
The head of the region promised to delve into the essence of the problem and make a decision that will take into account the interests of residents, establishment owners, and citizens who want to relax, sit in a cafe, or dance in the city center.
Two calls concerned the issue of garbage. A pensioner from Vitebsk disagrees with the fact that the garbage chutes in their apartment building have been sealed, and it is difficult and unsafe for elderly people, many of whom live there, to descend to the containers. Residents of apartment buildings in Malyye Lettsy, Vitebsk District, cannot get their containers collected on time. The truck comes once a month, and a mountain of waste accumulates next to the bins during this time. The Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee promised to look into the matter, and regarding the garbage chutes, he explained that it has been decided in the republic to abandon them. However, at the same time, he instructed to find alternative options that are convenient for people.
Residents of some houses in the regional center complained about inflated heating bills. It turned out that the heat energy consumption meters were being verified, and the calculation was done differently. After the heating season ends, the difference will be refunded to the people.
Questions were also raised about opening a shop and a pharmacy in the village of Vitba, Vitebsk District, restoring a large family to the housing queue, replacing power lines, and major house repairs.
Those who contacted the "direct line" not only shared their troubles and asked for help, but also thanked the chairman of the regional executive committee for his assistance in solving problems, for his empathy, and for useful initiatives. For example, a student of VSU named after Petr Masherov said that young people enthusiastically took up the snow challenge recently launched by the head of the region. And a resident of Vitebsk suggested calling on caring people to come out and clean up Mazurino Park. Alexander Subbotin agreed that this recreation area needs improvement. The task is also to tidy up the Western Dvina embankment and the zoo. It will be great if the city residents also join in this effort.
– I thought there would be more questions about clearing the streets, but people are understanding and see that progress is being made. Previously, there were many appeals regarding transport links, now there are only isolated ones. This means that steady work is being done. But there are things that, unfortunately, are still overlooked, and people talk about them during receptions and phone calls, pointing out where we are working carelessly. Therefore, this format of communication with the region's residents is in demand and should exist. It is beneficial for both people and the authorities, – Alexander Subbotin summed up.
"Vitebskiye Vesti"