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Radicova: Flood Prevention Scheme Is Matter of Major Urgency Now
Wednesday 18 August 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Martin/Drazkovce/Sklabina, August 18 (TASR) - The Government is ready to proceed quickly with adopting efficient and systematic measures designed to prevent floods, Prime Minister Iveta Radicova said on Wednesday during a working visit to the flood-stricken town of Martin and its environs, TASR learnt on the same day.
"The message is clear. We have to launch prevention programmes fast and invest in them. It isn't really the case that high sums of money are required. In addition, EU funds are available and we've only drawn barely half a percent of them so far," said the premier, adding that the funding should be used towards prevention rather than on post-flood measures.
Moreover, determining high-risk areas doesn't imply investing exorbitant sums of money, either, she noted. "Nature has shown us where the high-risk areas are, we have to focus on stopping homes from being submerged in water again," she said.
"Floods have been stronger in some areas and milder in others, but there's no degree scale for misfortune, tears are the same and people's effort to get on their feet again, as well," she added, praising the selfless assistance provided by rescue teams, local-authority representatives and the general public.
Much has been neglected in the area of flood prevention, she noted, blaming, inter alia, reckless interference in natural cycles such as illegal building work, for instance.
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