Preparatory work is underway in Aktobe ahead of the expected spring flood. According to KTK, even military personnel have been deployed in flood prevention efforts.
It is reported that soldiers are manually clearing drainage channels across the city using shovels. A total of 400 conscripts and 140 trainee pilots have been brought in for the work. At the same time, specialist machinery is clearing snow from the irrigation ditches.
In the Almaty district, two contractor organisations have been deployed, with 99 dump trucks and 12 loaders at their disposal.
"In the Astana district alone, there are 33,000 metres of open and closed stormwater systems. The task is to ensure that meltwater can flow freely through the channels. Contractor staff are carrying out the same work during the night shift," the statement reads.
Local authorities explained that the urgent removal of snow to the landfill is due to a month's worth of precipitation falling in the last 10 days.
Undoubtedly, the region's active preparation for floods deserves a positive assessment; however, questions remain about the legality of involving military personnel in this work.
The use of conscripts and cadets to clean channels raises doubts about the appropriateness of using military personnel to solve municipal tasks for which budget funds were likely allocated.
It is worth recalling that earlier in the West Kazakhstan region, a highway was closed due to rapid snowmelt. It was noted that meltwater was flowing over the road surface.