This year, Vilnius residents have repeatedly expressed public outrage over the amount of salt spread on the streets and sidewalks. What has caused even greater outrage among residents is the fact that salt that was probably spread during the cold season can still be found today, even though summer has already begun. They were also quite surprised Vilnius city municipalities representatives who stated that the situation was being investigated.
Residents of the capital have been outraged for some time now about what they say is an excessive amount of salt being spread in Vilnius. However, Vilnius residents usually complain about the salt being spread during the cold season.
Therefore, many residents were surprised when Ligita Poškutė, an environmental activist and member of the initiative "Save Vilnius Trees", shared images from Pylimo Street in the capital on Tuesday. Where a print-like material could be seen attached to trees next to the road.
And because of the video she saw, the environmental activist also criticized the Vilnius City Municipality.
"Salt on Pylimo Street. After so much rain, it's still in the ground. Vilnius City Municipality, don't lie that less salt was spread this year," L. Poškutė was indignant.
The images shared by the woman also attracted a lot of attention from residents, who were also outraged that salt, possibly spread from the cold season, can still be seen on the city streets.
"It's true that for the second year (maybe more) the so-called salt has been very 'strange'. It used to damage the feet of pets a lot, they would scream in pain. And most of us have certainly seen it live, and what about in the photos, what quantities there were this year as well," said resident Vida.
"After so much rain - crystals! It's surprising that something is still growing in the city," resident Mindaugas marveled.
In addition, according to L. Poškutė, she has been monitoring salt eruptions in the capital for several years, and last spring she also took soil samples in various parts of the city, measuring the salinity level.
"I have never seen such an amount of salt crystallized on the surface of the soil and so many dead bushes (trees die more slowly, they cannot be counted after one season)," the environmental activist claimed.
The Vilnius resident also emphasized that this year she noticed that the most possible crystallized salt and dead bushes can be seen precisely near the street. And for this she blames the company owned by the Vilnius city municipality "Beam".
"I photographed "Grinda's" "quality" work in the city center, including the maintenance of sidewalks ("Grinda" was entrusted with the sidewalks of the Old Town as a "well-performing company") more than once this winter - the spreaders spread so high and so abundantly that even the window sills of the first floors were washed away," said L. Poškutė.
Vilnius City Municipality also responded to the outrage
Representatives of the Vilnius City Municipality also responded to L. Poškutė's social media post, stating under the post that they plan to investigate the situation.
"We'll find out, because the image captured in the photo doesn't really resemble the situation after winter," commented L. Poškutė under the post. Vilnius city municipality.
And as Vilnius City Municipality representative Gabrielius Grubinskas later told journalists at the news portal tv3.lt, according to the municipality's data, this winter three times less salt was used for spreading sidewalks than last season.
"Salt is spread only when forecasters predict icing and during winter precipitation. This winter, according to Vilnius Municipality data, salt was used to spread sidewalks three times less than in the previous season - 18,7 thousand tons, compared to 52 thousand tons last year. We understand the impact of salt, so we are striving to reduce its use," explained G. Grubinskas.
The municipality representative also added that this winter season, crushed stone was used much more often, which was consumed 18 times more this year than last year: this year 1,2 thousand tons, and last year - 70 tons.
In addition, according to G. Grubinskas, in order to reduce the impact of salt on plants, thinning of plantations is carried out in early spring.
"Greeneries are also protected from salt in winter - during the winter season, greeneries growing along the roadways are fenced with plywood walls," commented a representative of the municipality.
And speaking about the post shared by L. Poškutė on social networks, G. Grubinskas said that "the situation in fixed locations will be assessed."
"If a higher salt concentration is detected in the soil, part of the soil layer will be replaced, and if salt or other substances are only on the soil surface, the materials will be excavated. In both cases, it is planned to supplement the soil with mulch," said a representative of the Vilnius City Municipality.
Author: Arnas Cvirka, TV3.lt
