The State Environmental Service has started an administrative case, while the local government promises to help punish the culprit and ensure that the environment is put in order.
It is likely that the owner of the land will not only have to tidy up the banks of the stream, but will also have to pay a fine of 1,000 euros.
Asbestos roofing, cinder blocks, bricks and rubber – all this is among the debris located on the edge of the Silene stream in a part of Latvia renowned for its natural beauty and tranquility.
Dainis Lazdāns, deputy director of the Latgale Regional Environmental Administration of the State Environmental Service, said that construction debris was dumped in an area of more than 8,000 square meters, "and if we are talking about hazardous waste, specifically slate, then it is 3 cubic meters".
The State Environmental Service learned about the illegal dump from local residents. The service has started the administrative process; the landowner must provide an explanation by April 3.
"We believe that the owner of the land should be held accountable, but if the owner of the land is able to provide information about who brought this construction debris and where they came from, then the culprit must of course be the one who did it. If the owner cannot justify and prove it, then the owner has these construction debris which must be removed," Dainis Lazdāns added.
The municipality of Augšdaugava district stated that they learned about the violation on social media, and the landowner did not apply to the local authority to get the necessary permission.
The environmental service stated that the maximum penalty for setting up such an illegal construction debris dump is one thousand euros. If the culprit is a legal entity rather than an individual person, then the penalty is almost three thousand. Last year, 15 violations related to construction debris pollution were found in Latgale.
