Replying to a question by D.Dondog on the state of pollution in rivers, especially in the Tuul, and to another by D.Enkhbat on how the law on specially protected areas is being implemented, Minister for Nature, Environment and Tourism L.Gansukh told Parliament yesterday that a survey had shown that the stretch of the Tuul River between Songino to Tavantolgoi bridge and again at Khadankhyasaa and Altanbulag were “extremely polluted” by chemical and organic substances. The pollution level in these areas was found to be between 3 and 30 times more than the acceptable level. Khadankhyasaa and Altanbulag have been newly added to the list of extremely polluted waters.

The Ministry is planning to take the following measures to reduce the pollution level.

–          Establish a Tuul-Songino water treatment complex to sterilize the water of Central Water Cleaning Plant  and use the water for irrigating fields and in industry;

–          Establish a new surveillance and scientific system for underground water;

–          Repair and improve the equipment in water treatment plants in cities and large settlements;

–          Settle the ownership issues of Khargia LLC’s sterilization facilities urgently with cooperation from the Metropolitan Mayor’s Office, to attract foreign investments in them to improve the technology.

MP D.Baldan-Ochir said it was necessary to coordinate the work of all departments dealing with water policy issues. He cited a very reliable source saying that Ulaanbaatar will face a drinking water famine in five years. MP S.Byambatsogt wondered if chemical waste from leather washing factories in its water was keeping the Dund River flowing through the city from freezing. He also said construction companies are lifting underground water and pouring it into the Dund. The Director of the General Authority for Professional Monitoring, Ya.Sodbaatar, said he would find out about this and report back. According to him, there has been no technical upgrading of the water treatment facility for 30 years.

There are 29 leather refinery units and 13 wool factories in Ulaanbaatar. They treat 9.9 million animal skins. There is no other country which has leather refineries within the capital city. Sodbaatar said that removing pebbles and gravel from the Tuul has been banned to conserve the river water.

The answer to the question by Enkhbat about specially protected areas turned into a discussion on the Bogd Khan Mountain. Many of the 391 citizens and companies which have constructed buildings in the region have violated laws. However, nothing much can be done as the law has no provision for taking the land back when such violations are detected. The Ministry has prepared a draft law to amend this situation and will present it to the Government soon. Publicity among people advising them against constructing buildings in these places has been somewhat successful. The Ministry made 386 investigations into 2,083 organizations in 2009 and collected MNT30.93 million in fines.

MP Z.Enkhbold said that previous ministers like U.Barsbold gave three permissions to build in specially protected areas, B.Erdenebaatar 52 and L.Shiilegdamba 56. Companies take the permission to build tourist resorts but then build private houses.