VLADIVOSTOK, September 3. /TASS/. A system for monitoring the permafrost in Russia will help to provide projections of the impact and prevent accidents that may threaten up to 15 million people. A bill on establishing the system will be submitted to the Russian State Duma, or lower parliament house, in the autumn, Russian Minister of Natural Resources Alexander Kozlov said on Friday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier that a national permafrost monitoring system should be launched by the end of 2021.

"A draft federal law on the establishment of a state system is ready. We will submit it to the State Duma in the autumn. <…> The data will help scientists to forecast the impact and learn how to avoid accidents in the cryolithic zone. Nearly 15 million people are living in areas of permafrost in Russia," he said after a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

According to earlier reports, the establishment of a network of 140 permafrost monitoring stations will require 1.6 billion rubles (22.03 million US dollars) until 2035.

The sixth Eastern Economic Forum is being held in Vladivostok on September 2-4 in a hybrid (combined online and in-person) format, the main topic of the business program is "New Opportunities for the Far East in a Changing World." Other programs that are part of the forum include Youth EEF, EEF Junior and Far East Street. The forum is organized by the Roscongress Foundation. TASS is the general media partner and the official host photo agency of the event.