Tomsk region authorities want to fight back the 50% compensation of the electricity payments for those living in the 30-km zone around the Siberian Chemical Combine, the Tomsk region deputy governor Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn stated to the media on February 24. He said the Nuclear Agency representatives refer to the normal radiation levels in the zone and, therefore, are denying the compensation. Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn pledged to send a legislative initiative on the compensation restitution to the Russian Parliament, Regnum.ru reported.

The 50% compensation for electricity payments for the inhabitants of the 30-km zone around Siberian Chemical Combine had existed until 2005. The financing of the compensation was in the form of 50% discount for the local energy stock buyer Tomskenergo. The compensation for 2005 is estimated as $2.1m.

Approximately 650,000 inhabitants from 80 settlements, including Tomsk and Seversk cities, live in the 30-km zone. One of the biggest in Russia Petrochemical Company Tomskneftekhim is situated just a few kilometres from the reactor and radiochemical plants of the Combine. Besides, all the hazardous cargo for the Combine is shipped right through the densely populated districts of the Tomsk City, Regnum.ru reported.