OREANDA-NEWS. July 02, 2010. A Russian government decision to allow a pulp and paper mill to put polluting wastes into the world’s oldest and deepest lake has been placed on the agenda of the next UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting, UNESCO said in a statement received by Lesprom Network.

A coalition of concerned organizations, including WWF and Greenpeace, presented a petition signed by 125 000 people from 52 countries to UNESCO and were assured that the issue is due to be raised with Russian delegates to the meeting in late July.

“UNESCO is worried by the situation with the World Heritage Site Lake Baikal, caused by Russian government’s decision to allow lake pollution by waste from Baikal pulp and paper mill. The open cycle work of the mill contradicts requirements of the World Heritage Convention”, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture Francesco Bandarin told a meeting with WWF and Greenpeace.

“We will bring our opinion to the notice of the Russian government and hope that Russia as a bona fide member of the Convention will take all measures to avoid damaging the universal value of Lake Baikal as a result of its pollution by the mill waste,” he said.