Reva, Belgrade
Location
Reva is located in the Banat section of the municipality of Palilula. It is situated between the Krnjača's sub-neighborhoods Blok Zaga Malivuk and Janko Lisjak on the west and Blok Braća Marić on the southwest, Ovča on the north, Pančevo on the east and the Danube on the south.
It mostly stretches along the road of Pančevački put, which connects Belgrade to the town of Pančevo in the east.
It occupies the entire eastern section of Krnjača, larger in territory than the western sections (Dunavski Venac and Kotež), but much less populated.
Geography
It is situated in the southeast section of the Pančevački Rit floodplain, between the Danube and Tamiš rivers. Remnants of the floodplain include the bogs of Veliko Blato, just west of the neighborhood and Reva, so as numerous minor, mostly channeled flows which drain the land and empty into the Danube: Sebeš, Kalovita, Dunavac, Sibnica, Velika Vrtača, Mala Vrtača, Spoljni Kanal, etc.
The entire left bank of the Danube is an embankment, built to protect the land from flooding. Former adas, river islands, have been turned into the embankments and are now part of the land, like Ovčanska Ada, Čapljin, etc. The mostly un-urbanized eastern part consists of fields Ovča Greda, Široki Rit, Vrtače, Crkvište, Veliko Blato. Unrelated to the bog of the same name on the west, Veliko Blato is partially urbanized, as the settlement of Sibnica is located here.
Bog
Reva Bog (Serbian: Бара Рева) is located close to the Danube's left bank, in marshy and floodprone terrain. Part of it has been turned into a fish pond. It is elongated in the west-to-east direction, parallel to the flow of the Sebeš stream. With other marshy areas in Krnjača it is the major breeding ground for the mosquitoes which causes annoyance for the population of Belgrade during summer.
Reva is a habitat for some 120 bird species, some of which are endangered in Serbia, including the white-tailed eagle. Other birds include mute swan, great crested grebe, little grebe and Eurasian coot. Otters are occasionally spotted, so as deer.
Neighborhood
Reva is one of the sub-neighborhoods of Krnjača. The settlement is scattered and consists of several discontinued built-up areas. Blok Zaga Malivuk, Reva and Reva 2 are located in the western section, along the Pančevački put, and are proper extension of Krnjača. Ovčanski Sebeš is separated to the north, across the Sebeš stream, on the railway in Ovča direction. Čapljin is a weekend-settlement on the Danube, on the former island of the same name. It is located right across another weekend-settlement, Bela Stena, on western tip of the Forkontumac island, which is administratively part of Pančevo. Sub-neighborhood of Sibnica is located in the easternmost section, close to the Tamiš river and town of Pančevo itself.
Administration
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1981 | 1,578 | — |
1991 | 1,963 | +24.4% |
2002 | 2,808 | +43.0% |
2011 | 2,522 | −10.2% |
Source: |
Reva is organized as a local community, sub-municipal administrative unit, within the municipality of Palilula. The local community was called Reva until the 2002 census, while for the 2011 census it was renamed Bara Reva.
Economy
Reva is primarily industrial and economic zone. Industry includes numerous facilities of the formerly large, state owned companies many of which went bankrupt during the transition period and are now turned into the large hangars and storage facilities. Companies include: Trudbenik Gradnja, IMK Beograd, Jugonemija, Oil Refinery Belgrade, Ovča gass filling facility, Veterinarian Institute, etc. It is also known for its nursery gardens (Rasadnik Reva, and other).
The road of Pančevački put, which starts at the Pančevo Bridge, passed right through the neighborhood. The Belgrade-Pančevo Railway marks the northern border of the neighborhood and separates it from Ovča. There are railway stations in Ovčanski Sebeš and Ovča.
Reva Industrial Zone
In 2018 it was announced that Reva is to be included in the future Belgrade port area, since the present Port of Belgrade, located across the Danube in the neighborhood of Viline Vode, is scheduled for relocation. For now, Reva is envisioned as the temporary location for the numerous gravel loading facilities from the banks in downtown Belgrade on both the Danube and Sava rivers, which should be relocated, too. The starting date for the beginning of the removal is set for April 2018, the detailed regulatory plan for the new port area should be finished sometime in 2018, while the technical documentation for the future bulk cargo terminal should be prepared in 2019.
The Reva section was to cover 56 hectares (140 acres), and was planned to employ 770 people by 2020. However, nothing has been done, and in November 2020 preparation for the facility for the treatment of the construction waste was announced instead. The location of the landfill for the waste and the mobile facility was set along the embankment, 500 metres (1,600 ft) away from the Danube's bank. The area planned for filling with the waste was enlarged to 62 hectares (150 acres), and was planned to last for five years. City stated that the land has to be filled and elevated first, claiming that "Gradska Čistoća", city's communal waste management company, is the investor. The temporary permit was issued on 12 January 2021.
Ecologists protested at the time, as the marshy area is home to numerous bird species. Initial waste dumping began already in 2019, but the active filling of the marsh with the waste began in December 2020, even before the temporary permit. The area has been filled for months, before coming into the public spotlight in May 2021, when it sparked a strong public reaction. Residents reported that forests had been destroyed and constant inflow of various privately owned trucks, not only those of "Gradska Čistoća", which were dumping the waste into the marshland. Environmentalists noted that the facility itself wasn't the problem, but the location, and pointed out that city failed to provide any documentation or survey which proves that the waste is non-hazardous.
Protesters organized camps on location, preventing physically dumping of the waste. One group collected some garbage and unloaded it in front of the city hall. As the cutting of the forest in the area is officially forbidden, the trees have been buried and taken down under the layers of waste, which reached up to 8 metres (26 ft). Actress Svetlana Bojković became the symbol of the protests after a video of her physically preventing a truck to unload the waste. Protesters partially re-forested the filled area with seedlings of black locust and called for the legal protection of Reva as a nature's reserve.
City officials originally refused to comment. As the protest progressed, they stated that the area is not protected anyway, and that all necessary permits were obtained. City administration invoked its 2018 detailed regulatory plan "to which there were no citizens' objections", and 1977 "certain recommendations" by the Institute "Jaroslav Černi", that his part of Reva might serve this purpose. They also said the guidelines were issued to the waste collectors what to do in case they encounter eagles's nests. City's secretary for urbanism, Bojana Radaković, said that she personally issued the temporary permit and that she is well informed on the subject. However, she took over the office on 9 January 2021, and only three days later signed the permit.
On 30 May 2021, deputy mayor Goran Vesić announced that filling will stop. City constantly referred to Reva as "temporary landfill" which existed for decades, but it was an illegal, unregulated junkyard, while, as evident on the photos, the area was still largely a green area before the spring of 2021. It was added that the new location will be selected. However, later in June, city confirmed that Reva remains one of three locations for construction waste treatment, the other two being Slanci and Umka. It was stated that Reva will be a temporary storage for the waste, not a proper landfill. Eco-activists declared a victory, calling for the criminal responsibility for those who allowed the destruction of the green areas.
In February 2023, city placed 38 ha (94 acres) of land in Reva under the mortgage, as a warranty for the large, and still amounting, debts of the municipal communal company in Lazarevac. As Lazarevac is nowhere near Reva, city's withholding of all financial data regarding the issue, the company already being salvaged few times and being owned by its own municipality and not by the city, and absence of practice that one organ of the state places mortgages to warrant for another one, the opposition accused city government of planned corruption. Additionally, the land in question is highly valuable, being located where access roads between the Belgrade bypass and the planned Ada Huja bridge are projected. Activating warranty would allow for the land to be sold for only 60% of its estimated value.
References
- ^ Tamara Marinković-Radošević (2007). Beograd - plan i vodič. Belgrade: Geokarta. ISBN 978-86-459-0006-0.
- ^ Beograd - plan grada. Smedrevska Palanka: M@gic M@p. 2006. ISBN 86-83501-53-1.
- ^ Slobodan Radovanović (2007). Belgrade and surrounding places. Smederevska Palanka: Magic Map. ISBN 978-86-7802-004-9.
- ^ Branka Vasiljević (16 December 2020). "Gradi se otpad za preradu šuta u Krnjači" [Junkyard for construction waste treatment is being built in Krnjača]. Politika (in Serbian).
- ^ Savski Nasip ecology group [@savski_nasip] (17 May 2021). "Borba za Revu" [Fight for Reva] (Tweet) (in Serbian) – via Twitter.
- ^ Vanja Đurić (23 May 2021). "Kad neće "breg Muhamedu" – zašto je otpad iz Reve završio kod Skupštine grada" [If the "mountain will not come to Muhammad" - ehy the waste from Reva finished at City assembly] (in Serbian). N1.
- ^ Dragoslava Marković [@dragoslavcica] (18 May 2021). "Ne zaboravite i njihove komšije" [Don't forget their neighbors] (Tweet) (in Serbian) – via Twitter.
- ^ Osnovni skupovi stanovništva u zemlji – SFRJ, SR i SAP, opštine i mesne zajednice 31.03.1981, tabela 191. Savezni zavod za statistiku (txt file). 1983.
- ^ Stanovništvo prema migracionim obeležjima – SFRJ, SR i SAP, opštine i mesne zajednice 31.03.1991, tabela 018. Savezni zavod za statistiku (txt file).
- ^ Popis stanovništva po mesnim zajednicama, Saopštenje 40/2002, page 4. Zavod za informatiku i statistiku grada Beograda. 26 July 2002.
- ^ Stanovništvo po opštinama i mesnim zajednicama, Popis 2011. Grad Beograd – Sektor statistike (xls file). 23 April 2015.
- ^ Daliborka Mučibabić (22 February 2018). "Рашчишћавање нелегалних шљункара" [Removal of the illegal gravel facilities]. Politika (in Serbian).
- ^ B.Petrović (19 November 2020). "Kreću pripreme za aktiviranje slobodne zone Reva - U Krnjači niče postrojenje za reciklažu neopasnog građevinskog otpada i nasipanje terena" [Oreoarations for the activation of the Reva free zone begins - a facility for recycling of the non-hazardous construction waste and filling of terrain in Krnjača]. eKapija (in Serbian).
- ^ Dejan Aleksić (22 May 2021). Гради се постројење за третман неопасног грађевинског отпада [Facility for treatment of non-hazardous construction waste is being built]. Politika (in Serbian). p. 15.
- ^ Branka Vasiljević (2 June 2021). Рампа на погон за прераду шута поред баре Рева [Ramp on the construction waste treatment facility next to the Reva pond]. Politika (in Serbian). p. 15.
- ^ Branka Vasiljević (26 May 2021). Део баре Рева припада привредној зони града [Part of the Reva pond belongs to city's economic zone]. Politika (in Serbian). p. 17.
- ^ FoNet (15 May 2021). "CLS: Odustati od gradnje deponije u Krnjači" [CLS: abandon the construction of a landfill in Krnjača] (in Serbian). N1.
- ^ Jelena Mirković (8 May 2021). ""Ofanziva" na oazu prirode na obali Dunava u Beogradu, svi žmure osim meštana" ["Offensive" on natural oasis on Danube's bank in Belgrade, everyone keep eyes closed except for the local residents] (in Serbian). N1.
- ^ FoNet (16 May 2021). "Udruženje "Bela čaplja" protiv deponije u ekološkoj zoni na bari Reva" [Association "White Heron" against landfill in the ecology zone of Reva pond] (in Serbian). N1.
- ^ Marko M. Dragoslavić [@DragoslavicM] (23 May 2021). "GrađaniGoranu Vesiću doneli šut" [Citizens brought construction waste to Goran Vesić] (Tweet) (in Serbian) – via Twitter.
- ^ Dubravka Galić [@DudaGalic] (18 May 2021). "Nastavljeno uništavanje bare Reva" [Destruction of Reva bog continued] (Tweet) (in Serbian) – via Twitter.
- ^ Stonexman [@stonexman] (25 May 2021). "Razmere uništavanja šume na Revi" [Scale of forest destruction in Reva] (Tweet) (in Serbian) – via Twitter.
- ^ Čuvari/ke vatre citizens group [@CuvariVatre] (24 May 2021). "Četvrti dan blokade" [4th day of blockade] (Tweet) (in Serbian) – via Twitter.
- ^ N1 Beograd (26 May 2021). "Ceca Bojković brani baru Revu, stala ispred kamiona sa šutom" [Ceca Bojković defends Reva bog, she stood in front of the truck] (in Serbian). N1.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ N1 Beograd (27 May 2021). "Aktivisti najavljuju veliki skup i sađenje bagrema na bari Reva u subotu" [Activists announced large gathering and planting of black locusts in Reva on Saturday] (in Serbian). N1.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Direktno.rs (30 May 2021). "Gradska vlast krila da hoće da uništi oazu baru Reva" [City administration hide its intention to destroy the Reva bog oasis] (in Serbian). Direktno.
- ^ Beta (3 June 2021). "Aktivisti: Odbranili smo Revu, sada treba utvrditi krivičnu odgovornost" [Activists: we defended Reva, now the criminal responsibility must be established] (in Serbian). N1.
- ^ N1 Beograd (1 June 2021). "Vesić naložio Gradskoj čistoći da ne dovozi građevinski otpad kod bare Reva" [Vesić ordered the garbage service not to bring any more construction waste at Reva bog] (in Serbian). N1.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ FoNet (3 June 2021). "Popadić: Bara Reva zatvorena, u toku potraga za novim lokacijama za odlaganje zemlje i šuta" [Popadić: Reva pond is closed, searching for new earth and construction waste landfill location]. Danas (in Serbian).
- ^ Branka Vasiljević (18 June 2021). Три локације за прераду шута [Three locations for treatment of construction waste]. Politika (in Serbian). p. 14.
- ^ Dejan Aleksić (22 February 2023). Усвојен план о метроу, раскинут уговор са "Кенткартом" [Metro plan adopted, contract with "Kentkart: dissolved]. Politika (in Serbian). p. 17.
- ^ N1 Beograd, Beta (21 February 2023). ""Vlast zakulisnim radnjama pretvara baru Revu u građevinsko zemljište"" ["Administration is working behind the scenes to turn Reva into the urban development land"] (in Serbian). N1.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)