Minister for Finance
S.Bayartsogt visited several places of Ulaanbaatar on Monday at the invitation
of Mayor G.Munkhbayar and MP Ts.Batbayar. He first went to 21^st
khoroo of Bayanzurkh district, which has more than 20,000 residents, more than the
population of some provincial centers. However, there are only a handful of
workers to provide state services to citizens. The employees do not complain
about the work load and try to respond to pleas for help within 14 days. There
is no problem with street lights in the district but the roads are terrible,
and the district is right next to Tsagaanchuluut garbage dump. It was closed in
2003, but the trash is emerging from underground. The Minister expressed
concern that so many people are exposed to a possible infection source.

Bayartsogt then drove
from Tsaiz Market to Sharkhad. Two roads in Bayanzurkh were meant to be repaired,
and two tenders, one for MNT2.5 billion and the other for MNT4 billion, were duly
announced but there were no bidders.

Both the 13^th
and the 14^th khoroo were flooded last year, affecting more than 1,000
families and washing away 153 gers. City officials told the Finance Minister
that embankments must be built to protect the region. This will cost MNT3.8
billion while the total need to protect the whole city from danger of flooding has
been estimated as MNT38 billion.

The Minister also
visited the Khargia water treatment plant in Khan-Uul district. About 20
organizations pour their waste water there. The technology and equipment are
becoming rusty and water sterilization is not being made well. MNT 1.5 billion
is needed to overhaul the working of the plant.