Polekol and the Right to Water initiative submitted to the Court of Honor of the Chamber of Engineers a complaint against the responsible urban planner for the Urban Project for the small hydroelectric plant “Mlanča”. The project involved the construction of an MHE that would collect water from three rivers, Beloševska, Jasenjska and Strajinjska, in its pipe. Polekol indicated that the responsible urban planner grossly violated the ethical and professional standards of the engineering profession by creating and verifying projects that violate the law, which is why the revocation of the license is requested.
The investor, Privredno društvo “Fitosol” DOO from Kraljevo, tried in a repeated procedure to confirm the Urban Project and thus get the green light for the construction of a small hydroelectric power plant. Numerous objections submitted by the Polekol citizens’ association, together with other organizations, initiatives and residents of the village of Mlanča, stopped the adoption of this harmful project. The fact that the project has been stopped is good news, now it is necessary that this kind of legal and physical violence against the environment is never proposed again.
The main objection to the urban project and the actions of the responsible urban planner is the ignoring of the conditions of the Institute for Nature Protection of Serbia, which mandate that the mechanical building of MHP “Mlanča” be at least 2,800 meters away from the water intake of MHP “Grajići”, which is located downstream. The location is set at less than 150 meters. A flagrant violation of the law is also represented by the fact that the project plans to bury a pipe in the bed of the Beloševska river, which is expressly prohibited by water conditions and nature protection conditions.
“Just as institutions are expected to work in the public interest, we also ask experts to work in accordance with the professional and ethical standards of their profession. We expect the Court of Honor of the Chamber of Engineers to determine this reckless violation of professional standards and impose a measure against the responsible urban planner. As the only appropriate measure, for such a violation of regulations, we consider the revocation of the license, which is what we are asking for,” says Strahinja Macić from Polekol, adding: “We will continue to monitor who creates and signs harmful projects and to inform the public with all knowledge, and to require the authorities to react”.
Confirmation of all the claims made by Polekol in its application and objections is the recent Conclusion of the Kraljevo City Planning Commission that the urban project for MHE Mlanča was not done in accordance with the set conditions.