Environmental regulation actions continue in Holguín amid COVID-19

The Office of Regulation and Environmental Safety (ORSA), of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment in the province of Holguín, continues its main activities even with the mobility restrictions implemented to contain COVID-19, with several municipalities in limited autochthonous transmission in the territory.

Frank Pérez, director of this entity, said to the Cuban News Agency that in order to guarantee the protection of the personnel, teleworking and remote work modalities have been established, which reduces the crowds within the offices, located in the vicinity of the Loma de la Cruz, in the eastern city.

Pérez indicated that taking into account the availability of transport and strict compliance with health protocols, priorities are established within the inspection plans for municipalities, in order to reduce the mobility of specialists from and to the different areas.

He noted that the fundamental processes of the office are maintained, including the granting of environmental licenses, as well as authorizations for radiological and biological safety and the management of hazardous waste, required by companies, state agencies and self-employed workers.

The main results of ORSA by the end of 2020 include the response to more than 200 queries for microlocations issued by the Institute of Physical Planning and essential for new investments in the tourism and housing sectors and the performance of state inspections for compliance of current environmental regulation.

This entity, founded in 2002, from the integration of the Environmental Control and Nuclear Safety directorates, has offices throughout Cuba and has among its fundamental missions the accompaniment of economic and social development in harmony with the environment, through of regulatory activity, according to the encyclopedia Ecured.