In Aktobe, engineer Yerkin Tazhgaliyev at a meeting with residents of the "Eco" gardening collective, which was flooded due to the overflow of the Kargala River, blamed activists for the dramatic consequences of the flood.
According to Ratel.kz, Tazhgaliyev gained notoriety in April 2017 after a major flood in Aktobe. At that time, due to heavy precipitation, two city reservoirs overflowed, prompting authorities to make an emergency water release. The water level in the shallow rivers flowing near the city rose sharply, and water from the reservoirs surged into the city.
Residents of dacha settlements and several suburban areas of Aktobe were affected. Nearly 600 dacha structures were flooded. About a thousand dacha houses were destroyed. More than a thousand people were evacuated from the flood zone.
After this, the authorities allocated 6 billion tenge for cleaning and deepening riverbeds. The project was headed by engineer Yerkin Tazhgaliyev, however, after its implementation began, some Aktobe rivers shallowed and springs were ruined. Furthermore, trees aged 30-60 years were unjustifiably cut down along the banks.
As a result, prosecutors opened 7 criminal cases against the heads of the contractor construction companies. In turn, Aktobe activists appealed to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev regarding this matter. The Head of State gave instructions to look into the situation. The project was suspended and sent back for revision, and its author, Yerkin Tazhgaliyev, was issued 2 fines: 454,500 and 909,000 tenge.
When the country faced unprecedented floods this year, Tazhgaliyev flew to Aktobe to once again promote his project. He called on the flood-affected residents to unite and convince the authorities to revive his initiative. At the same time, Tazhgaliyev blamed the current misfortunes of the flood victims on the activists who had opposed his project back then, and even called for them to be punished.
"Our group developed a working project, and in 2019 we began construction and installation work for its implementation. Unfortunately, at that time, in 2019-2020, there were tense negotiations with activists who were opponents of these design solutions. The measures for clearing rivers and constructing protective dams were blocked by activists Alexander Mandrykin, Svetlana Markevich <…> The project was not implemented precisely because of pressure from activists. To minimise future similar situations, clearing, dredging, possible clearing of banks, and construction of protective dams are necessary. Now the need to implement the project should be the focus of local authorities... But eco-activists, I would say, pseudo-activists, so to speak, blocked the implementation of the project. I would hold them accountable. Those who blocked this project should also answer to the affected residents. The activists back then argued their position saying that a flood like that of 2017 would not happen again. We insisted that nature is cyclical.", the engineer stated.
According to Tazhgaliyev, he is currently discussing with the authorities the possibility of reviving the project. He believes that without widening the riverbeds, it is unsafe to live near the water. Tazhgaliyev called on residents of the flooded villages to support his project.