Mykolaiv DHCS wants to spend ₴24 million «to fight» ragweed by 2027

Within five years, the Department of Housing and Communal Services plans to spend 24 million hryvnias on the elimination of ragweed. 

This is stated in the decision of the city council «On the approval of the Municipal Targeted Environmental Program for the years 2023-2027 of the city of Mykolaiv», writes «NikVesti».

In particular, 4 million 845 thousand hryvnias are going to be spent annually on the fight against ragweed. With these funds, 375,000 square meters of territory will be treated with ragweed during the year. The cost of processing one meter of taco territory is 13 hryvnias.

During the online session of the city council on October 26, deputy Maksym Kovalenko asked why the cost of processing one square meter of ragweed has increased almost four times compared to 2021 — from 3 hryvnias to 13 hryvnias.

— We have an excess of ambrosia. If we take the contract of 2021, where we had three or so hryvnias per square meter of fighting ragweed, then in this program it is 13 hryvnias. «I don't think that the price has quadrupled since 2021», — said the deputy.

The deputy director of the DHCS, Ihor Nabatov, explained that in 2021, the cost of measures to combat ragweed did not include means for plant treatment and special suits.

— As for the 2021 contract, and this is the remark that came from the anti-corruption examination, that contract provided for processing with the appropriate means. That is, the works themselves, we are not talking about the cost of the ambrostop itself — it was not included in the amount of the contract, because it was purchased by the Department earlier. That is why we have such a big difference. In addition, at that time, the amount did not include the cost of special suits, which must be worn by processing workers, — explained Ihor Nabatov.

The deputy added that according to the contract for the elimination of ragweed dated June 2, 2021, the cost of the service provided for the «liquidation of quarantine plants of ragweed by a chemical method with the cost of the substance».

Ihor Nabatov called it a mistake and assured that, if necessary, he can provide a written answer with the necessary confirmation: «Maybe it's a mistake. I told you what fact we have and I can confirm it in writing. Because we summoned a former employee for this question».

Earlier, deputies of the Mykolaiv City Council adopted the city's environmental program for 2023-2027.

We will remind you that a resident of Mykolaiv showed ragweed that had grown near the residential areas of the Pivnichnyy and Ternivka microdistricts. The townspeople also complain about blooming ambrosia in Victory Park, which threatens their health.