In the Ulytau region, Kazakhstan, there is the Kengir reservoir, which plays a key role in regulating water resources for energy and irrigation needs, being one of the main assets of the region. As the press service of the regional prosecutor’s office points out, this artificial reservoir, created in 1952 and containing 319 million cubic meters of water, together with its hydraulic structures, is of strategic importance, which means it should be under state control.
Unfortunately, in the past these objects were transferred to the balance sheet of Kazakhmys Distribution LLP, which, in fact, contradicts the very idea of a strategic object in private hands. The prosecutor’s office of the Ulytau region, concerned about this state of affairs, appealed to the Minister of Water Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan with a proposal on the need to return the reservoir to state ownership.
As a result of prosecutorial supervision, a donation agreement was concluded and an act of acceptance and transfer of the object was signed. Now the authorized bodies face a difficult task. It is necessary to conduct a thorough multifactorial inspection of the Kengir reservoir and all its hydraulic structures. This is necessary to determine the current condition of the facility, identify possible risks and threats, and develop a modernization plan that will ensure safe and efficient operation of the reservoir in the long term.
Returning the Kengir reservoir to state ownership – is an important step, but only the first on the way to ensuring its safety and rational use. The work ahead will require considerable effort and investment. Not only a stable water supply to the region, but also environmental safety depends on its successful implementation, because any large hydraulic structure – is a potential source of risk for the environment, especially in the event of improper management and operation. This is especially true in our time, when the anthropogenic impact on nature has reached a critical level, and any accident at such a facility can lead to irreversible consequences.
Alexander Eskendirov (Rivers.Help!)
