The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved a draft law that prohibits any activities in the Kakhovsky Reservoir

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved a draft law that prohibits any activities in the Kakhovsky Reservoir. If the document is approved by the Verkhovna Rada, the ban will remain in force for another 15 years. Discussions have already begun in society in favor of an agrarian alternative to land areas.

The Cabinet of Ministers is against changing the intended use of plots near the Kakhovsky Reservoir

To date, the Ukrainian government is convinced that the purpose of plots in the former Kakhovsky Reservoir cannot be changed. This was announced by the Polish-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce.

“That is why we are establishing such bans and thus preparing the basis for the reconstruction of the reservoir and the hydroelectric power plant” - emphasized the head of government, Denys Shmyhal.

This means that the authorities still hope to recreate the HPP, which was destroyed by the rioters, if not now, then in the future. In addition, the Cabinet of Ministers allocated an additional UAH 335 million to the Kherson Oblast for further work aimed at implementing the program to overcome the effects of the explosion.

“In particular, we are sending UAH 187 million to Kherson Oblast for the priority renovation of water supply and heating facilities. We will spend another UAH 148 million on other tasks, including the renovation of roads in Kherson, necessary for the normal functioning of the city," the Prime Minister noted.

The government has already allocated UAH 11.9 billion to eliminate the effects of the Russian terrorist attack on Kakhovsky HPP

Despite the government's decision, discussions on the use of Kakhovsky HPP land continue.

There are several explanations for this. The priority of farmers' claims to this resource seems logical and justified. After many studies, it turned out that the released areas were characterized by excellent fertility and minimal fragmentation. Analysts believe that this is a big plus compared to the poor soil indicators of the Kherson Oblast.

Additionally, these areas may fill areas temporarily inaccessible due to occupation or contamination by mines in other regions. And finally, it should be taken into account that agriculture remains and will remain the main branch of the national economy for a long time. Therefore, a regime of maximum support would not harm farmers, especially now when there is a full-scale war in the country.

A large group of experts researched and analyzed the economic consequences of the decision to use the land in accordance with its intended purpose. And these are quite large territories - over 200,000 hectares. Analysts have calculated that this corresponds to fifth place in the ranking of large Ukrainian agricultural farms-latifundists. And the fact that Kakhovsky's lands are located in one massif is a unique case for an agro-industrial complex that should be taken advantage of.

Supporters of the reconstruction of the hydroelectric power plant are convinced that the quality of the land after a long stay under water will not allow for its effective use in agriculture. Opponents of such precautions note: the quality of land areas is much better than in the fields of Kherson Oblast, which are exposed to the hot sun. The explanation is quite simple: the areas of the former flood zone are covered with silt, which is the best natural fertilizer. This is evidenced by the fact that just a few days later, when the high water level subsided, the area was densely covered with clover and alfalfa. They were planted by activists of environmental protection companies to prevent sandstorms.

Therefore, the status of Kakhovsky HPP or its rejection should be established as early as possible, as clearly as possible and not changed in the future. Of course, taking into account the arguments of the authorities, society and ecologists.

Ecologists are mainly in favor of draining the areas within the reservoir. Because it will contribute to the restoration of the natural ecosystem. The reservoir was a source of evaporation and therefore water loss in the region. Moreover, it was not a natural ecosystem and for 70 years it remained an artificial technological structure, created as a result of flooding the extremely rich, dynamic ecosystems of the Dnieper Valley.

Environmentalists say that rebuilding hydropower plants will bring more negatives than positives

Ecologists justify their position by the fact that the restoration of natural vegetation at the bottom of the Kakhov Reservoir has already begun and many animal species will eventually return. Therefore, artificial replenishment will lead to a second ecocide. Moreover, monuments from the Sichi era may be lost forever.