Residents of the Aktobe microdistrict in the Bostandyk district of Almaty report a long-standing problem with water supply. According to them, in some parts of the district, water is completely absent, and delivery is carried out by water tankers on a schedule — twice a week. At the same time, only 20 cubic metres of water are allocated for 40 houses, which is not enough even for basic needs.
According to ORDA, against the backdrop of the lack of centralised water supply, residents of the cottage settlement 'Alma', which is part of the Aktobe microdistrict, reported a strange fact. They claim that along Ospanov Street, a water pipeline began to be laid to one of the plots from the networks of the neighbouring Medeu district. There, the water situation is controlled by the State Enterprise 'Almaty Su'.
As explained by a resident of the cottage settlement, Asiya Damitova, the owners had previously contacted the Akimat of the Medeu district with a request to connect them to the water supply, explaining that the capacity of the private supplier in the Bostandyk district was clearly insufficient. However, the Akimat replied that the district did not have enough water as it was.
The authorities of the Bostandyk district have promised to build a new main water network, but the timeline for its design and implementation is unknown. Meanwhile, residents continue to use paid water delivery. According to them, one 10-cubic-metre water tanker costs 35,000 tenge.
According to the action group, the situation worsened after it became known about the construction of a water pipeline to a private plot near the settlement 'Alma'. The plot, according to cadastral data, belongs to Serik Zharasovich Krymov, the head of Mascar LLP, which is engaged in the rental and operation of real estate. Previously, Krymov headed the Holiday Home of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan for over 20 years, later transformed into the Almaly Hotel Complex.
It is noted that his wife, Aitkul Samakova, previously held a number of high-ranking positions in the state apparatus, including the post of Minister of Environmental Protection, Senator, Deputy Chair of the Senate, as well as Advisor to the President and member of several national commissions.
According to residents, it is Krymov's plot that is currently being connected to the utilities of the Medeu district, although the Aktobe microdistrict officially belongs to the Bostandyk district. It is noted that this allowed for the connection permit to be issued.
Given that other residents have been unable to secure a connection to the water supply for many years, this situation has raised their suspicions of possible violations. People do not rule out that the district boundaries were 'adjusted' to simplify the connection procedure.
Furthermore, it is reported that the plot to which utilities are currently being routed has been put up for sale. At the same time, the advertisement lists an incorrect postal address, but the geolocation matches the territory of Krymov's holdings.
Residents express fears that in the future the designated purpose of the plot could be changed, and a residential complex or cottage settlement might appear in its place, which would further aggravate the water supply situation in the area.
At the next meeting, the residents' action group intends to put these questions to representatives of the Akimats of the Bostandyk and Medeu districts. At the same time, they have prepared an open letter to the authorities.
"We demand: To conduct an inspection of the legality of connecting the plot belonging to S. Zh. Krymov to the networks of the Medeu district. To provide a public explanation as to why residents of the Aktobe microdistrict, settlement 'Alma', are being denied this connection.
For 'Almaty Su' to issue temporary technical conditions to the water-deprived settlement 'Alma' until the connection to the as-yet-unplanned distribution networks of the Bostandyk district. To accelerate the process of designing and constructing the promised main line for the district.
To develop a transparent and uniform procedure for connecting to the water supply for all citizens, regardless of their social or official status," writes the action group of residents of the settlement 'Alma'.