In the year 2000, Rotary club of Karlovac has choosen as his primar activity, the demining project in the surroundings of Karlovac. To start the project, it will be necessary to collect initial funds for demining program.

Financial contributions could be collected from the following resources:

• various events organised by Rotary club-Karlovac
• donations by enterprises and individuals in Karlovac
• donations of other Rotary , Inerwheel and Rotaract clubs
• from Matching Grant Funds.

Each plaquette will bear the name and title of the donor and will be granted according to the following criteria:

• Rotary club wins The Plaquette for donating enough money to demine an area of minimum 1000 m².
• Individuals win The Plaquette for donating enough money to demine an area of minimum 500 m²
• Rotaract and Inerwheel clubs win the plaquette for donating enough money to demine an area of minimum 200 m².

   PLAQUETTE LYNNE

Further to this introduction we would like to describe some facts in regard to the deminng problems in The County of Karlovac:

• Characteristics of Karlovac County
• Estimation of the territory polluted with mines
• Analyses of the minefields
• Technical data about the most commonly used mines

The county of Karlovac lies in the middle part of the Republic of Croatia, betwen two states - The Republic of Slovenia and The Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Situated in the most nerrow part of The Republic of Croatia, at the crossroad of the traffic roads North - South, East-West and encircled by four rivers, Karlovac County with the town of Karlovac as an administrative, cultural, economic and political centre, is also the most important traffic centre in Croatia.

The Karlovac county with an overall surface of 3,644 km² belongs to the medium-size counties in the Republic of Croatia. The County has 184,577 inhabitants, according to the last census from 1991. The population is situated in 5 ctities and 16 municipalities and the city of Karlovac with 73,583 inhabitants is the biggest city and the centre of the county.

During the war over 50% of the county territory was under enemy occupation and the boarder was almost 150 km long. It stretched along the banks of the Kupa, the Korana and the Mreznica which were natural boarders and the tampon-zone between two sides; therefore this territory is mostly covered with mines.

Mine pollution is nowadays one of the biggest problems in the County, not only it presents potential danger to tourists and local people, but prevents them from returning to their homes as well as from growin crops and dealing with their major activity, agriculture.

According to the estimation, until today, on the territory of Karlovac county more than 520 minefields with approx. 16.000 different types of mines, have been discovered.

However, there is also justified doubt about more unknown minefields with an unknown number of mines, without record or location.

Therefore, it is important to stress out,  that the mine cleansing activities in the coming period should have the full attention in The County of Karlovac and wider. We think, that the sad number of 174 wounded and 49 persons dead in 164 incidents over the past period on this territory, are convincing warning for all of us.
 
 

DEFINITION OF THE LOCATION:

The terriotory closest to the border of two sides engaged in the war is the most polluted territory in Karlovac county. The border stretched from Nos Kapele, over the hilly areas northern of Kapela, Babina Gora, along the Tounjcica and the Mreznica rivers and the Mreznica and Korana to the village of Sica, along Korana valley to the territory Turanj and Gornje Mekusje, and then along the valley of Kupa to the village of Lasinja at the eastern part of the County.

LAND TYPE:

The land is covered with woods, dense vegetation, bushes, partly calcareous, divided with steep valleys and river canyons. It occupies 60% of the territory, while 40 % are river valleys, fields, meadows and pastures. A smaller part of the territory was inhabited before the war; therefore there were waste materials and metal left. Due to the war activities, these areas were left unpopulated and uncultivated. In the past 7 years vegetation has overgrown and covered them.

ESTIMATION OF MINE POLLUTD AREAS:

The front line was 110 km long. It has been estimated that the minefields were laid 500 m from both sides in the depth from the borderline. The front line along the border with the Republik of Bosnia and Herzegovina was 40 km long. It has been counted that the enemy side mined the whole front line, i.e. 55 km². Croatian army mined 40 km, so it is an additional 20 km², and the same percentage is mined along the boarder with the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the end, we estimate that 5 km² in depth, behind backs of both enemy sides, was also polluted. The total of the mine polluted area is estimated at 100 m².

DEFINING PRICE OF MINE CLEANSING:

The whole mine polluted territory of Karlovac county is divided in 6 separate parts:

• Nos Kapele and its north-eastern slopes up to Brsljenovica and Gacesi-Kestenak - 40 km².
• Kestenak, Brozici, Belajske Poljice and the parts along the Kupa - 13,5 km²
• Parts along the boarder with Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina - 5 km².

• Brsljenovica, Gacesi, Brozici and Belajske Poljice - 15.5 km²
• Belajske Poljice, valleys of the Korana and Kupa rivers - 6 km²
• parts along the border with the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina - 10 km².

Taking 22.50 kunas per 1 m² as an average price for mine cleansing (the price was used for another Karlovac county project at the Conference for Reconstruction and Development, held on 4th and 5th December 1999), than the mine cleansing of the whole county would cost 596.817 mil. GM. The average price of mine cleansing in the world is 1 $ per 1 m², so that the mine cleansing operation in the county of Karlovac would cost approx. 167,109 mil. GM.

TIME  NEEDED  FOR  MINE-CLEANSING:

A number of 1,000 pyrotechnic working 200  days a year, 25 m² per day, would clean the Country in 20 years. As we previously said, 30 % of the teritory could be cleansed only manualy, while the rest could be cleansed by combined methods. 1,000 pyrotechnic, working 200 days a year, 25 m² per day would cleanse 30.000.000 m² in 6 years. 10 samll machines for mine cleansing which could clean 2,500 m² per day, working 200 days a year could clean 70.000.000 m² in 14 years, taking into account extra engagement of  pyrotechnics mascine inspection.

A big machine for mine cleansing, owned by AKD Mungos d.o.o., Zagreb is 4 times more effective than the small one, i.e. it cleans 10,000 m² per day. Dogs trained in mine finding (2 dogs and a guide) could search 30.000 m² per month. 50 dog teams working 8 months a year could search 70.000.000 m² in 5,8 years.

We mentioned different options and capacities of mine cleansing methods which could be used in straregic planning and decision making.
 
 

Up to nowdays collected data show that there were 616 minefields in Karlovac county.Most  of them  werw laid by the enemy army, aboat 67 %, 29% by Croatian army and 4% by Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Anti-infantry minefields occupy 74% anti-armoured 13 % and combined minefields 13% in the total of the territory pollution. The most polluted city and municipality with the greatest number of minefields in Municipality of Jospidol with more than a half of all the mines (MEZ), up to the municipalitities of Bosiljevo, Netretic, Ribnik, Zakanje, and Ozalj, where there is no minefields. Speaking of mine tipes, the greatest number of mines goes to special mines  so  called  "popcorn", PMR-2a in the group of anti-infantry mines, and well-known "six" TMRP-6 in the group of anti - armoured mines.
 
 

DEMINING PROJECT:
 

REPUBLIC OF CROATIA CROATIAN MINE ACTION CENTRE Sisak, Ivana Mestrovica 30   RAILWAY BRIDGE OVER KUPA RIVER IN BRODANI VILLAGE Project proposal for demining   Municipality Karlovac Karlovacka County   Sisak, february 2000. The project is a proposal  prepared for bidding offers in order to select the most optimum bidder, based on the available information, collected minefield records and other important datafor a demining project. A bidder can, and is obliged to, personally investigate and suggest in his offer all elements and information he discovers, and CROMAC will, within its Selection Board, takes into consideration the valid arguments or stick to this Project Proposal. Contents: 1. Introduction           1.1. Basic information about the project           1.2. Type of the area and location           1.3. Significance of the project 2. Technical data and estimates           2.1. Estimation of the area contaminated with mines and unexplded ordnance           2.2. Categorisation of the area           2.3. Proposal for mine clearance in accordance with categorisation           2.4. Estimated time for mine clearance 3. Enclosures           3.1. Photographs taken from the area of railway bridge in Brodani village, 4 photos           3.2. Croatian State Map, scale 1:5000, with drawn elements required for demining INTRODUCTION 1.1. Basic facts about the project This project was prepared upon the request of Karlovac city, Department for Municipal Services and Urbanism and also on the initiative of Brodani village committee. The project is the extraordinary task. The project for mine survey and demining was also prepared in order to clear the access route for machines from "KONSTRUKTOR" building company which is willing to take the metal construction of the destroyed bridge fiom the River Kupa. Combat activities were going on in this area during the Homeland war and mines and explosives have been used. 1.2. Area, location and type The area planned for mine survey and demining is located in Brodani village, on the right bank of Kupa river and in its bottom. It is located 15-20 km to the East from Karlovac. The area which has to be cleared, includes riverside close to the concrete supporting pillar and the bottom of Kupa river under the destroyed bridge. The terrain for bank access is flat but both banks are steep and alluvial. 1.3. Importance of the project Mine survey and demining of the area will allow a safe access for machines to remove the metal construction of the destroyed bridge. General safety of the local population would be increased and the safe access to the river would be possible. It has a great importance for hunting and fishing and for the safety of navigation on Kupa River. TECHNICAL DATA AND ESTIMATES 2.1. Estimation of the area By conducting mine survey level 1, photographing of terrain for future mine clearance we determined estimated area infested with mines and UXO. We tried to make our estimation as accurate as it was possible. The surface of the river bank (flat and steep terrain) is 7.200 m2. The surface of the bottom is 2.800 m2. The total area contaminated with mines and UXO is estimated to be 10.000 m2. 2.2. Categorisation of the area a) Risk assessment analysis: All the available documents from the Karlovac Regional Office were used for the preparation of this project. Copies of the document are attached to the project. The area to be surveyed and demined was the combat zone during the Homeland war. It was also located the separation zone between the Croatian Army, JNA and the Army of the Republika Srpska Krajina. Brodani village was occupied by JNA and Serb rebels from 1991 to 1995. There are existing minefield records for the wider area. Risk category: medium/high risk (II category). Recapitulation: the area to be surveyed and demined is at medium/high risk and is 10.000 m2 large. b) Evaluation of terrain configuration elements: Slope - flat and steep river bank Vegetation - medium density Type of vegetation - bushes, blackberry bramble, reed, trees Construction rubblelruins - low Danger of booby traps - low Waste and mineral metal/pollution - low contamination, residues of the destroyed railway bridge Type of soil cohesion - clay, sand, alluvial material on the river banks Trees/seedling - medium density alone river bank Stone contamination - low 2.3. Proposed demining method in accordance with terrain categorisation The area can be demined by combined methods. 3.200 m2 are suitable to be cleared manually (whit mine detector and prodder). Mini flails can clear another 4.000 m2. The survey and demining of the river bottom (2.800 m2) has to be done by deminers - divers. 2.4. Estimated time for mine clearance Manual clearance - 25 m2/day per deminer Deminer working behind the demining machine - 200 m2 per day Light demining machine 2.500 m2 per day Taking into account combination of 10 deminers, 5 deminers - divers and 1 mini flail on different parts of terrain simultaneously, it is estimated that in 15 working days the job will be complete. 2.5. Budget forecast It is estimated that the total price for execution of the project is US$ 21.000. Ref. No. of the project: KAKABD-IHZ-29-02-00 Class:                      213-06/00-01/01 Registration No:     530-117-02-00-9 Approved by:             Department for preparation of projects for humanitarian mine clearance. Head:                         Mirko Ivanusic Head CRO MAC:     mr.sci. Damir Gorseta ENCLOSURES   Photo No.1. Railway bridge over Kupa river in the vicinity of Brodani village. The photo shows the right side of destroyed railway bridge in Brodani village, which is required to see a slope and vegetation of terrain Photo No.2. Railway bridge over Kupa river in the vicinity of Brodani village. The photo displays the right side of destroyed railway bridge in Brodani village. In the distance there is left side of the bridge which did not fall out into the river. Photo No.3. Railway bridge over Kupa river in the vicinity of Brodani village. The photo shows the right side of destroyed railway bridge in Brodani village, which is required to be mine surveyed and cleared. This photo is made from the railway, while mine survey and demining have to be done from left and right sides. Further, there is the part of bridge which did not fall out into the river. Photo No.4. Railway bridge over Kupa river in the vicinity of Brodani village: The photo displays the left side of destroyed railway bridge in Brodani village where mine clearance should be done. The photo is made from the left bank of the river and shows concrete supportive pole until which mine survey and clearance have to be executed. By divers starting from right bank of Kupa river. Map No.1 Croatian State Map, scale 1:5.000, with drawn elements required for mine survey and demining   HRVATSKI CENTAR ZA RAZMINIRANJE Sisak, Ivana Mestrovica 30 tel/fax: +385(0)44-547-950, +385(0)44-547-960, +385(0)44-547-970