OREANDA-NEWS. On August 26, 2009, based on the initiative of JSC RusHydro, the Government of Khakassia, local residents, accident victims and relatives of the deceased, a Social Committee was established to provide social assistance to victims of the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP accident. Committee members include: Federation Council member  V.A.Petrenko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Khakassia I.G.Smolin, an initiative group of local residents, a member of RusHydro’s Management Board K.V.Belyaev and two representatives of the Company, N.V.Vstovskaya and N.G.Grigorovich, reported the press-centre of RusHydro.

The principal task of the newly established Committee is to provide information, advice and assistance to members of the population who are applying for benefits, as well as to record all needs and to coordinate and interact with all organizations which are involved in working to resolve the social problems.  The Committee also exercises control over how charitable fund contributions are spent.

To support the Social Committee, RusHydro has set up a Social Support Center.  The purpose of this Center is to cut through red tape that applicants may encounter, to assist in the psychological rehabilitation of injured parties and to develop and implement long-term social programs, including those that support children.  Members of the Center will meet with victims’ families to fully account for the needs of all affected people and to ensure that support measures are appropriately geared to each individual case.

The Center will be staffed by RusHydro personnel who have stepped forward and volunteered to assist their colleagues who suffered as a result of the accident. The Center offers advice and assistance to the families of the deceased and injured on  how to fill in application documents that are required to receive payments, on the provision of housing, paying off bank loans and mortgages, finding work and educational opportunties, as well as on necessary treatment and psychological assistance.  The RusHydro Social Support Center will be housed within the Sayano-Shushenskaya subsidiary of the Siberian Federal Institute at 15 Cheryomushkiy. The Center will have a 24-hour hot line number at (39042) 3-26-87.

In fact, the RusHydro Social Support Center began operating on August 24th, 2009. In just two days, the volunteer team visited 45 families, working to specify data in people’s social passports (a document that contains information about deceased/missing parties, family members, the financial status of the involved family and any problems that may need to be resolved) and to accept applications and to answer any relevant questions. To date, seven family members have asked for assistance in finding employment and five have applied for treatment.

To date, 76 families have received lump sum allowances in the amount of two monthly salaries for deceased and missing employees. In addition, 16 families have received material assistance in the amount of 1,000,000 rubles per family. Total lump sum allowances for the families of the accident victims total 20,226,415 rubles.

A procedure has also been initiated to pay off the debts of all deceased employees. At the same time, assistance has been organized for receipts to apply for funds and bank accounts and gather the requisite documents.

On August 25th, 2009, an around-the-clock psychological assistance hot line began operating at (39042) 2-10-00.  The purpose of the phone line is to assist individuals who are suffering from post-traumatic shock syndrome. In addition to the above-mentioned programs, a children’s center has opened at the Cheryomushki sports complex, where experienced educators and psychologists are implementing a program to address and minimize children’s stress. The program includes art therapy, games and relaxation exercises. The children’s program will continue operating in this format until September 1st, when children will return to their regular schools. Teachers at these schools have already undergone training on specifics of how to effectively work with children who have undergone psychological trauma.

Also, on August 25th, 2009, a meeting took place between Konstantin Belyaev, a member of RusHydro’s Management Board and the Chairman of the Council of Veterans from the city of Sayanogorsk Mikhail Martynov.  At the meeting, it was decided that veterans would also actively participate in the children’s rehabilitation program.

On August 26th, 2009, two intensive 3-day training courses were launched for school teachers and psychologists from the Cheryomushki, Maina and Sayanogorsk school systems, as well as for psychologists who are working at both the centers and the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP.   Psychologists and medical personnel from Novosibirsk State University and the Novosibirsk Medical Institute have been invited to run the programs.

In addition, on August 26th, 2009, a psychological rehabilitation and training program was launched for residents of the Cheryomushki village in the Cheryomushki sports complex. The program will focus on lifting tension and reducing stress.