BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom

[Presenter] With the onset of very cold weather, an emergency situation is developing in the camps of Chechen resettlers in Ingushetia. Refugee debts for communal services have still not been paid. They are facing a third winter in tents. Ilya Kostin reports from Ingushetia:

[Correspondent] ... People are heating their tents and stockpiling food for several months in advance...

The Chechen refugees' debt for consumed electricity, gas and water comes to date to almost R80m. As a result, supplies of heat and light have been cut off throughout the whole of Ingushetia's territory. Not only the refugees, but also the local population are suffering as a result of this.

[Elderly man in tent camp] They are cutting off supplies of gas not only in the camps. Gas supplies are being cut off throughout the republic...

[Correspondent] The abolished federation ministry and the federal migration service should have paid off the debts by now. The Ingush government has frequently asked these structures to clear the accumulated debt. However, there have been no actions in response. The gas and electricity suppliers have resorted to extreme measures. Voltage levels have been lowered at substations. Gas supplies have been lowered to a minimum.

[Same elderly man in tent camp] It's difficult [to live] without gas, without light. Even if they switch off the gas, in about 20 minutes it is impossible to live there [in tents]. It's cold. Cold weather is coming.

[Correspondent] People in Ingushetia's Emergencies Ministry are now working out possible ways to get out of the emergency situation. In the event that matters get worse, that is, if the debt is not paid, instructions will probably come from the ministry to purchase coal. Until this happens people are doing what they can to keep warm. For example, they are preparing firewood for the winter...

On the eve of the third winter that Chechen refugees will be spending away from home, the Ingush authorities are admitting that the tent camps are not ready for the cold weather. Eighty per cent of tents in which the refugees are living are in a state of disrepair. Electricity and gas lines are in need of repairs. All of these difficulties have already led to complications in the health and hygiene situation and outbreaks of dangerous infections.

Source: NTV, Moscow, in Russian 0900 gmt 8 Nov 01