Kyrgyzstan to permit development of deposits on glaciers

Kyrgyzstan will permit the development of deposits on glaciers. The Parliamentary Committee on Agrarian Policy, Water Resources, Ecology and Regional Development approved in the third reading the amendments to the Water Code.

According to the changes, it is proposed to allow the activities of gold mining companies «on impact on glaciers in exceptional cases.»

The bill was initiated by the government of Kyrgyzstan in 2015. The amendments indicate that in exceptional cases, related to the work of economic entities included in the list of strategic facilities that are large taxpayers and budget-forming enterprises, the government can permit the activities affecting the state of glaciers on the condition that the damage is minimized and the state of glaciers is continuously monitored.

The decision on permitting such activities is made on the basis of an expert opinion of an authorized state body, but with the obligatory condition for the transfer to another location of the glacial mass falling into the field development zone.