Environmental regulation continues in eastern Cuba despite COVID-19

HOLGUÍN, Cuba, Mar 15 (ACN) The Office of Regulation and Environmental Safety (ORSA), of the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment in this province remains engaged in its main missions despite the movement limitations to tackle COVID-19.

ORSA director Frank Pérez told ACN that in order to protect the employees they have embraced teleworking and telecommuting modalities and defined priorities for the municipal inspection plans to reduce the mobility of specialists to and from different places.

“We still carry out our basic processes, including the issuing of environmental licenses and permits for radiological and biological safety and hazardous waste management, which our enterprises, state bodies and self-employed workers need.

At the end of 2020, ORSA had responded more than 200 consultations for micro-locations, issued by the Institute of Physical Planning and essential for new investments in tourism and housing, and performed its scheduled state inspections to ensure compliance with current environmental regulations.

Founded in 2002 as a result of a merger of the Environmental Control and the Nuclear Safety Divisions, has offices throughout Cuba. Among its most important tasks is to help economic and social development to be in harmony with the environment through regulatory activity.