We have witnessed the true way how our nation joined its forces in averting the consequences of the red mud catastrophe – highlighted Károly Kontrát, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, in his opening of the Conference on Red Mud Catastrophe: consequences and experiences held at the Hungarian Academy of Science. In the frame of this event, two agreements on cooperation were signed between the Hungarian Academy of Science and the Hungarian Catastrophe Management.

In the course of the biggest tragedy in Hungary, leading to ecological consequences, 10 people died, 265 people were injured, and 319 houses got into such state that it is not possible to live in them any longer or need to be renovated. The Government acted without delay and undertook efficient measures, and the Law Enforcement organisations not sparing their strength provided a distinguished performance – gave his evaluation the State Secretary.

Károly Kontrát said: This catastrophe imposed enormous tasks on the organs of the Ministry of Interior. The further damages prevention and the restoration works are in process, and are in compliance with a tight schedule. An industrial catastrophe caused the tragedy, the reason of which is subject to investigation – added the State Secretary.

Further the State Secretary underlined that the restoration and the rehabilitation of the area that had suffered from the catastrophe have been started and go on their own way according to the schedule; therefore we hope that the settlements and their inhabitants will be able to live their normal life in a few months. Based on the adopted government decrees the estimation of damages and their compensation have become possible

József Pálinkás, the Chair of the Hungarian Academy of Science in his speech expressed his gratitude to all who had assisted or still is assisting in the restoration of consequences of the ecological catastrophe. The Chair of the Hungarian Academy of Science underlined the importance of cooperation between the representatives of science and the experts of practice.

György Bakondi, the Director General of the Hungarian Catastrophe Management, the Commissioner for Catastrophe Management, highlighted the cooperation between representatives of science and the catastrophe management. This kind of cooperation made possible to draw up an efficient protocol for the professional management of rescue and disaster relief in a never seen tragedy.

The forms of cooperation between the representatives of science and the Catastrophe Management, worked out in real life deployment situation, were fixed in a the written document of the agreement and signed by the representatives of the two organisations. The Hungarian Academy of Science and the General Directorate of the Hungarian Catastrophe Management of Ministry of Interior wish to harmonize their activities on long term in order to establish a long run damage prevention, and also the security of Hungarian people, and moreover, to establish the structural framework of the further cooperation. The Agreement signed between the General Directorate of the Hungarian Catastrophe Management of the Ministry of Interior and the Geodesy and Geophysical Research Institution of the Hungarian Academy of Science serves the efficient harmonization of tasks in the management of catastrophe and emergency situations.

(kormany.hu)