Ukraine to launch register of mine-infested lands
The relevant decision was adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers, Ukrinform reports with reference to the Ministry of Economy.
"Creation of the register is an important step in the field of humanitarian demining. Its launch will allow to automate and pace up a number of processes. For example, with the help of the register, we will be able to monitor the demining status of territories almost in real time and effectively plan further demining efforts. It will make it easier for farmers to receive extracts on the status of their lands: whether they are contaminated or cleared. Local governments will see it easier to control the state of farmlands, in respect of which they made a decision on local tax benefits based on the conclusions on mine pollution," said Deputy Minister of Economy, Ihor Bezkaravainy.
According to the official, the information contained in the register will be important for investors and projects for the restoration of Ukraine.
In accordance with the Regulation on the register, developed jointly by the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Internal Affairs, the relevant platform will be administered by the State Emergency Service while the Center for Humanitarian Demining will be responsible for the technical part.
The register will be filled with information from various sources. For example, the Center for Humanitarian Demining will file data on the non-technical land survey by mine action operators. State bodies, whose subdivisions clear territories of mines will enter data on land surveys and clearance efforts. And the local governments will put in information about the survey of plots, whose were given local tax benefits due to pollution.
It will also be possible to enter into the register data on the land surveys using satellite images, scanning tools, etc. It will include the entire war-affected area. Surveyed zones where explosive objects were not detected or wherever they were neutralized will be excluded from the register.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, referring to the Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko, as of early April, about 25% of the territory of Ukraine has been contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance. The regions liberated from the invaders remain the most densely mined zones.
