SLUNJ RESIDENTS DEMANDED TO BE RECEIVED BY CROATIAN PRESIDENT

SLUNJ, Oct 30 (Hina) - Slunj residents, who expressed anger about the leaking out of 7,500 litres of sulphuric acid near a river from which drinking water is derived, on Monday demanded to be received by Croatian President Stipe Mesic. Because of the irresponsibility of the Government and three ministers - the Minister for the Protection of the environment, Interior Minister and Transportation Minister - as well as the director of the water supply inspectorate, the town authority on Monday forwarded a letter to President Mesic, Slunj deputy mayor Ivan Matesa said. The town of Slunj (about 100 kilometres south of Zagreb) is without drinking water for the forth day because of an incident which took place on Friday when a cistern with 8,000 litres of sulphuric acid overturned and 7,500 litres of acid leaked out onto the road. There is also danger of contagious disease, Matesa added. The water brought in cisterns is not sufficient, he concluded. Reporters have been told that Rijeka-Tanka experts were cleaning the ground polluted by sulphuric acid. According to the Croatian Institute for Public Health, there are different data on metals and Ph value in Slunj's water. Slunj residents demanded Government's assistance in water supply. (hina) it