The ceremonial launch of natural gas took place in the agro-town of Sloboda, Lepel district

Solemn launch of natural gas took place today in the agro-town of Sloboda, Lepel district (Vitebsk region). The ceremony of lighting the symbolic torch was attended by the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Nikolai Sherstnev, the Chairman of the Lepel District Executive Committee Boris Efremov, and the General Director of the Vitebskoblgaz enterprise Petr Shershen.

After the ceremony, the celebration continued in the local House of Culture. Addressing the residents of Sloboda, the head of the region said that he shares the joy with the villagers. "Probably, each of you understands what gas is. In production, it is development, new modern enterprises, jobs. And in everyday life, it is coziness, cleanliness, comfort. You will live and work in new conditions," noted the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee.

He also emphasized that Sloboda is one of the promising settlements that has received a new impetus for development. "The production base should expand here, indicators should grow, families should increase," noted Nikolai Sherstnev. "People in the countryside should live happily."

As explained to journalists by the First Deputy General Director - Chief Engineer of the Vitebskoblgaz enterprise Alexander Ozerets, natural gas is used in all district centers of the Vitebsk region. "Now we are actively engaged in the gasification of rural settlements and agro-towns. In total, natural fuel has been supplied to 346 settlements, 111 of which are agro-towns. Sloboda became the 112th gasified agro-town. The total length of gas pipelines in the region is 6,165 km. At the same time, over the past 2 years, the length of networks has increased by 430 km, and 5,400 apartments have been connected to gas," said Alexander Ozerets. He also reported that rural settlements in the region are 30-36% gasified. According to him, the branch to the agro-town of Sloboda (14 km) was laid in the shortest possible time. The cost of the work amounted to Br830 thousand.

"The project is designed in such a way that the gas pipeline route is brought as close as possible to 3-4 more settlements. So that in the future they can also connect to natural gas," noted the first deputy general director.

As for Sloboda, more than 370 families live in the agro-town, each of them has the opportunity to improve their living comfort by using natural gas. At the same time, the construction of gas pipelines to residential buildings is possible both at the expense of citizens' own funds and with the involvement of budget funds in accordance with Decree No. 368.

Alena Tikhonova. Photos by Alexander Khitrov – BELTA.