ASTANA. January 20. KAZINFORM /Damir Baimanov/ The amount of environmental payments and fines reached KZT 97.4 bln in 2009 that is 30% higher than in 2008; Kazakh Minister of Environmental Protection Nurgali Ashimov has informed of it today at the extended session of the collegium of the Ministry.

"The amount of environmental payments and fines reached KZT 97.4 bln that is 30% higher than in 2008. 210 cases on abeyance of economic activity were forwarded to court whereas 223 enterprises out of 1,077 ones were refused in obtaining a permit for environmental emissions", he explained.

Adoption of new regulatory documents which toughened requirements in the process of grant permissions as well as strengthening of the industrial environmental monitoring let fulfill goals set in the strategic plan of the Ministry.

"In particular, air emissions were reduced from 3.3 to 3.0 mln tons whereas spew of polluted water was reduced from 2.9 to 2.85 mln tons", the Minister stressed.