The licensing process for the operation of hazardous production facilities and sites is slow - Ministry of Emergency Situations

February 8, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. The Ministry of Emergency Situations notes the insufficient promptness of entities in submitting documents for obtaining licenses for the operation of fire and explosion hazardous production facilities and facilities with mass gatherings of people included in the list. This was reported to a BELTA correspondent by the Minister for Emergency Situations Vladimir Vashchenko. In Vitebsk, he met with the labor collective of OOO "PO "Energokomplekt". According to the minister, information about facilities whose activities are subject to licensing has been communicated to all interested parties. The issues were considered at a meeting of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. However, the process of submitting documents for obtaining licenses is slow. "The work leaves much to be desired," the minister stated. The ministry intends to take the situation under control and, where there is no active work, to take measures and inform the authorities about non-compliance with the requirements. In the near future, a monitoring of the situation with obtaining licenses for the operation of hazardous production facilities and objects will be carried out. In Belarus, at the end of last year, a permanent list of fire and explosion hazardous production facilities and facilities with mass gatherings of people, the operation of which is subject to licensing, was approved for the first time. It defines and specifies the most potentially hazardous production facilities where there may be a significant amount of flammable and combustible substances (liquids, gases, dust). Facilities with mass gatherings of people, where more than 800 people can be present simultaneously, are also subject to licensing. Owners of facilities listed in the list must obtain an operating license by March 1, 2011. -0-