Ecology of Kyrgyzstan to benefit from contract of Centerra with government

The ecology of Kyrgyzstan also shall win from the new agreements of Centerra Company and the government. This opinion was expressed by independent expert, ecologist Mirbek Ilyazov.

«It’s good that the parties have found a common language and will work together. But this should be not only with Kumtor case, the expert believes. — You know, from the last two revolutions there was a rather tense relations between the government and Kumtor: each one was given ultimatums, sued in court and so on. But in the end, all this negatively affects the protection of the environment.»

«As for the points on which agreements have been reached. Increasing the amount of regulatory fees for environmental pollution from $ 310,000 to $ 3 million, I believe is very good progress. For a long time, we couldn’t change anything in the signed general agreement, including the amount of pollution charges. This amount is fixed, it doesn’t depend on the volumes of extraction and pollution,» the expert said.

«The company’s willingness to send $ 50 million to the established nature development fund to finance environmental protection measures is also a positive development. Given that these funds, as noted in the government’s message, primarily intended to be used for the modernization and construction of new modern treatment facilities in the water area of ​​ Issyk-Kul Lake. Most boarding houses today, you know, were once parts of major departmental health resorts of union and of republican importance. In the 1990s, they began to be established, and in the territory of a large boarding house a dozen new mini-boarding houses were created. Everyone must have their own treatment facilities. But you know, as a proverb says, too many cooks spoil the broth: none of the established boarding houses want to incur costs. The treatment facilities must be provided with electricity around the clock. And it’s good if the funds are directed to the central treatment facilities, so that each boarding house doesn’t build its own,» the ecologist said.

«If I take myself as an ecologist, I would like that no deposit is developed, because in any case they cause damage. These are tailings, and damaged mountains, forests, and water pollution. But as a sensible person, I understand that the situation can’t be improved by some prohibitions. Because if we don’t develop the economy, then the environment will also suffer. And there will be no social payments, support of the poor, that means there will be deforestation, landfills, various diseases... Such a chain, which won’t be broken,» the expert said.

«Therefore, it is necessary to develop the subsoil, but with minimal consequences for the environment. And here I want to pay tribute to the company. I was at many enterprises in the country and I think that they should be equal to Kumtor. Of course, there are negative consequences, but how they work with them is necessary for others to learn,» Mirbek Ilyazov said.