Inhabitants of Laplje Selo village are facing unbearable odour from Gracanka River, and for several years are warning the local authorities and other responsible bodies to resolve the issue, Radio KIM reported yesterday.

During the meeting with representatives of Gracanica Municipality, OSCE and KFOR, they warned to resort to concrete measures is the solution is not found. According to Radio KIM, the municipality promised to start cleaning the river bed.

Village representative Slavisa Todic said during the meeting the situation is that unbearable and it brings into question survival of the inhabitants.

“We visited yesterday all the families living nearby the river and decided to collect signatures for a petition. We have collected more than 300 signatures. I am using this opportunity to kindly ask those responsible to resolve the problem, because this is burning and existential issue. People cannot live there, in addition to the air, water from the wells will get polluted,” Todic explained.

“The river bed is constructed badly. It is very wide and there is no enough water. The odour is that horrible, you feel like someone is suffocating you. We fear epidemy and the situation is alarming,” another Laplje Selo inhabitant said.

The issue with waste water being deposed to Gracanka River dates back to 2013. Laplje Selo inhabitants urged those responsible in the municipality to clean the river bed from Gracanica to Preoce, otherwise they would resort to specific measures.

Milos Aritonovic, Director of Inspections Department in Gracanica Municipality said they are aware about the situation in Laplje Selo and they have contacted respective ministry in Pristina.

“We were on the spot, we prepared the report, collected water samples from several locations, however the results have not arrived yet,” Aritonovic said.

Meanwhile, Gracanica Mayor Srdjan Popovic promised the cleaning of the river bed would start as of today, Radio KIM reported.