O. Vilkul: We have to act proactively in difficult weather conditions

Vice Prime Minister Olexandr Vilkul during the All-Ukrainian conference call to set a target to regions to ensure a firm control over life support systems network and act proactively when clearing streets from snow drifts.

"We need to maintain life support systems – these are gas, water, heat, electricity, public transportation. It is base of the activity of the state. And this work will be done," vice Prime Minister Olexandr Vilkul said.

"All services are operating in emergency mode. Their actions are tightly controlled and coordinated by the Operational Headquarters of the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services. Damages are promptly eliminated. Since the beginning of the heating season there have been happened 5 accidents with temporary cessation of heating: in Ternopil, Kirovohrad, Donetsk regions and Kyiv and also about 340 local damages of networks. All damages were liquidated within a day," vice Prime Minister said.

As of January 16, 2014, due to local damage of networks, heat temporarily is not supplied to 10 residential buildings in Kiev. Repair work will be completed during the day.

Olexandr Vilkul noted that during the Christmas holidays there were no substantial damages of life support systems. "So it must be in the future. Local and regional leaders have to keep this issue under close control," he said.

Recall that during the preparation for the heating season 2013-2014 years, the Government had tightened control over the region, there were conducted extensive staff training on rapid response to emergency situations. Special attention was paid to the most problematic areas of housing and communal services, renewal of water and heating systems, boiler-houses.