Veche Approves New Factory Pollution Restrictions

The Veche has approved a bill calling for stricter factory pollution control. This has largely been in response to the slow process of change thus far seen in many of the industrial cities of the north and east of Novegrad.

These new regulations will introduce more active inspection and harsher penalties for factories that have failed to comply with stipulated protocols. Some of the worst-affected cities may be receiving government assistance for upgrading facilities.

In the Soviet era, many factories were built across the country under fairly lax regulatory restrictions. In many of the western provinces these have since been replaced or upgraded thanks to new prosperity and investments from western Europe, as well as a general desire to meet Western standards of cleanliness and pollution control. In the northern and eastern provinces, however, these positive influences have been slower to develop. In smaller towns especially, many factories continue to by and large avoid active regulation and inspection.

In some industrial areas air pollution has reached hazardous levels. Many people have taken to wearing breathing masks over their mouth and nose in cities such as Tázkare and Suětlogóreske, though a lifetime living in these conditions nevertheless has its impact on health.

Another bill concerning funding for environmental clean-up in some of these areas is due to be introduced in the near future.