Pole sues state over smog problem
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
01.12.2015 12:19
A Polish man has filed a lawsuit against the state over the high levels of smog in his native Silesian city of Rybnik, southern Poland.
Photo: Glowimages
Oliwer Palarz, an activist for NGO The Rybnik Smog Alarm, argues that air pollution is affecting his quality of life.
Palarz is calling for PLN 50,000 in damages from the state, although he has claimed that the sum is symbolic, and that his chief aim is to draw attention to the matter.
He has pledged that he will channel the funds into a local hospital, if he wins the case.
“We want to send state authorities a signal that we do not intend to sit back passively and tolerate further inaction on improving the air quality,” commented another member of the NGO.
He has cited the European Court of Human Rights, which noted that the failure of authorities to act on air pollution constitutes a breach of Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
Palarz is submitting evidence including the results of air quality measurements taken by the Regional Inspectorate of Environmental Protection in Katowice, which show that air pollution in Rybnik regularly exceeded acceptable levels. (nh/rk)
Source: TVN24