“This is a major disaster. Not a natural disaster, but one resulting from a complete lack of oversight,” MP Przemysław Czarnek said at the Pilchowice Reservoir. The Law and Justice candidate for prime minister, referring to the results of water tests in the Bóbr River and the death of several dozen tonnes of fish, sharply criticised the Ministry of Climate and Environment. He also announced the launch of inspections at ministries and public offices.
On Friday, the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection published on its website the results of water tests carried out in the Bóbr River by the Central Research Laboratory. They show, among other things, that mercury levels in the river exceeded the permitted limit by as much as 50 percent, while phosphorus levels were up to 80 times higher than allowed.
The results concerning the level of dissolved oxygen in the water also look very poor. In one of the samples tested, it was only 8 percent, indicating a state of extreme oxygen depletion, which is exceptionally dangerous for fish and other aquatic organisms.
On Saturday, the District Prosecutor’s Office in Lwówek Śląski announced that it had opened an investigation into the death of several dozen tonnes of fish following the release of water from the Pilchowice Reservoir. The investigation is being conducted on suspicion of an environmental offence under Article 182 of the Penal Code.
“We are ordering inspections”
This morning, a press conference by Law and Justice MPs was held near the Pilchowice Reservoir. The party’s candidate for prime minister, Prof. Przemysław Czarnek, began his speech with the words: “A beautiful climate, beautiful surroundings, the Pilchowice Reservoir, the dam, the Bóbr River, and a major disaster. And this is not a natural disaster like the one that took place on the Oder several years ago, when we were fiercely attacked by the very same ladies who today should immediately resign – Ms Hennig-Kloska and Ms Zielińska. This is a disaster resulting from a complete lack of oversight over the activities of Tauron and over work that is very much needed. Because the modernisation of this dam, increasing its discharge capacity so that these areas, which are at risk of flooding, are better protected, this modernisation is necessary.”
“That is why, in November 2021, a water-law permit was issued for these modernisation works. However, the fact that the supervision of these works was not properly ensured, and that, when weather forecasts indicated a heatwave, no steps were taken to keep the water level higher and prevent a drop in the oxygen value or the amount of oxygen in the water, is directly the fault of Tauron and of the oversight exercised by the Ministry of Climate and Environment under Ms Hennig-Kloska and Ms Zielińska. These two ladies, the so-called ministers, who fight for river renaturalisation and for the environment, are responsible for the fact that 15 tonnes of dead fish have so far been removed from here,”
Czarnek said.
He added: “Dead fish not because there was, I repeat once again, a natural disaster, but because no attention was paid to weather forecasts and because there was no proper oversight of the necessary modernisation works on this dam.”
As he announced, Law and Justice is launching inspections starting today.
“That is why we are beginning major inspections. Inspections in ministries, inspections in public offices. Our MPs are entering with these inspections today to reveal the whole situation and show this government’s complete ineptitude and incompetence. This government is responsible for the fact that, so far, as many as 15 tonnes of dead fish have been removed here because of mistakes, mistakes in oversight, mistakes in the work on the necessary modernisation of this dam,”
said the Law and Justice candidate for prime minister.