Gravel extraction plot on Tom' river in Tomsk sees price drop nearly by a third.
Tomsk, May 21 - RIA Tomsk. City authorities have announced a second auction for the right to use a gravel site in the Tom River within Tomsk's boundaries; the starting price of the auction has been reduced by 30% to 44.3 million rubles, "Interfax" reported on Wednesday.
Previously, it was announced that the Tomsk regional department of natural resources and environmental protection had already held an auction for the right to use a gravel site in the Tom River within Tomsk's boundaries last April: from the Communal Bridge to the microdistrict of Northern Park. The starting price of the auction was 63.4 million rubles. It was reported that no bidders were found at that time.
"A gravel site in the Tom River has been put up for auction again, with the price reduced by 30%... Tomsk region announced a second auction for the right to use the 'Tomskoie' subsoil for the exploration and extraction of sand and gravel, as well as pebble and gravel-sand and pebble-clay deposits," Interfax wrote.
It is worth noting that the initial price was 44.3 million rubles. Applications for participation in the auction are accepted until May 27.
According to a link to Rosgeo Fund, the license for the exploration and extraction of gravel on the 'Tomskoie' subsoil had been owned by OJSC Tomsk Shipping Company (TSK, part of Siberian Logistics Center) since September 2020, but it was revoked in December 2021.
It was also reported that in the last few decades, within Tomsk's city limits, records of record-low water levels in the Tom River have been regularly recorded. Usually, the decline was seasonal and occurred in the fall. One of the reasons for the decline in water levels was the intensive extraction of gravel.
- In light of the second auction, the Tomsk region is seeking industry players interested in investing in environmental-science projects, as the 'Tomskoie' subsoil is up for grabs for the exploration and extraction of sand and gravel, among other deposits.
- Given the ongoing issue of climate-change, it's crucial for finance sectors to consider the long-term environmental impact of industries such as the extraction of gravel, especially in environments like the Tom River, where record-low water levels have been regularly recorded.
