The lands around the Astana (Vyacheslav) Reservoir, designated for forestry, have been divided into plots that are either privately owned or leased on a long-term basis. The editorial team of FBRK decided to find out who owns these territories and how their use might affect the state of the capital's important water body.
For context, the FBRK editorial team previously reported in detail about agricultural plots located an unacceptable distance from the Astana Reservoir. On this issue, we contacted the relevant departments, and their responses can be read via this link.
Looking at the map, one can see that the Astana Reservoir is bordered by lands designated for forestry, which should theoretically help maintain the reservoir's ecosystem. However, what happens when these territories are transferred to private hands or used for development? What risks does this pose to water quality, the condition of the reservoir, and access to it?
For example, on one plot not far from the reservoir, there is a brick factory owned by LLP «Dani-T». The company owns a territory of 35,784 sq. m., which formally lies outside the forestry zone, but the production facility is located in close proximity to the water body. Needless to say, the industrial processes involved in brick manufacturing can lead to chemicals, dust, and waste entering the water, potentially affecting water quality and the state of aquatic organisms.
What makes the situation particularly interesting is the fact that LLP «Dani-T», having been on the market since 2005, is now declared bankrupt with a tax debt of over 15.3 million tenge and astronomical 6.5 billion tenge in debt under enforcement proceedings. One wonders, who is now monitoring the environmental safety of this bankrupt enterprise?
The founder of LLP «Dani-T», Vladislav Belyusenko, according to open sources, featured in a court case in 2017. He was accused of embezzlement or misappropriation of entrusted property and fraud. It was also reported that there were suspicions of misuse of funds from equity holders during the construction of a residential complex in the Expo area of Astana.
Notably, the plot on which the brick factory is located was previously owned by LLP «Kairat-S» - a name that inevitably brings to mind a notoriously scandalous political figure with similar initials, who recently apologised to the entire country and returned assets. One can only hope this is a completely different story. This company has now been liquidated by its own volition.
An equally concerning situation is unfolding with LLP «Livestock Farm Arshaly», which owns two plots with a total area of 10,250 sq. m. right on the edge of the water body. Breeding cattle and horses, which the company engages in, near a source of drinking water is a decision that causes, to say the least, bewilderment. Livestock waste, saturated with pathogenic microorganisms, can easily seep into the reservoir through groundwater, creating a threat of outbreaks of infectious diseases among the population.
According to data from the kompra.kz service, the financial situation of this enterprise also raises questions: a tax debt of about 3 million tenge and a substantial debt under enforcement proceedings of approximately 1.3 billion tenge. Meanwhile, there are curious connections between the company's management and government structures: the founder, Nurbol Kairanov, is mentioned in open sources as the Corporate Secretary of JSC «NC «Food Contract Corporation».
Another part of the forest zone, with an area of just 1,500 sq. m., became the property of a private individual running Sole Proprietor Mashkova, which is involved in catering. The previous owner, Anatoly Zalzeler, first leased and then bought this land for his peasant farm.
Forest plantations around reservoirs play an important role in protecting water resources, preventing soil erosion, and filtering pollutants. They also create a favourable microclimate, contribute to the preservation of biodiversity, and help regulate the water balance.
In the long term, transferring such plots into private hands without strict control can lead to degradation of the water body, a reduction in its economic and ecological value, as well as the loss of crucial natural protection that ensures water purity and landscape stability. It seems that this is precisely what we can observe today.
The question is, why did the regulatory authorities allow such proximity? How thoroughly is the impact of these enterprises on water quality being checked? Are the owners complying with environmental standards, or are they more interested in extracting profit at any cost?