A correspondent from the FBRK held meetings with the Vice-Minister of Ecology Zhomart Aliyev and the head of the environmental protection department of Astana, Daulet Doskulov, to discuss the capital's environmental problems.
The meetings took place against the backdrop of the FBRK's large-scale environmental investigation in Astana and the surrounding areas. Officials acknowledged systemic difficulties in combating illegal landfills and promised to strengthen control over waste transport companies, but noted the limitations of their authority in resolving key issues.
THE KOYANDY LANDFILL: A PROBLEM UNDER SPECIAL SCRUTINY
On 23 May, a meeting between the FBRK correspondent and Vice-Minister of Ecology Zhomart Aliyev took place in the government building. The main topic was the controversial Koyandy landfill, which received widespread publicity on social media.
Aliyev stated that the issue is under the ministry's special control, but admitted to serious difficulties in addressing it. The main problem is the lack of cooperation with the Department for Land Resource Management (DLRM) of the Akmola Region, which ignores letters and requests from the Ministry of Ecology.
"The ministry merely coordinates actions and gives recommendations, while other bodies carry out inspections and control," the Vice-Minister explained.
According to him, the ministry does not have the authority to conduct inspections and is occupied with larger-scale tasks in the country. Nevertheless, the department filed a lawsuit against the landfill owner — sole trader Marushchak. However, Aliyev admitted that fighting such violations is like battling a "hydra" — when one company is shut down, a new one appears in its place.
Regarding the waste transport companies: they will not be held liable— all responsibility lies with the landowner, as the companies are not obliged to check on entrepreneurs.
GPS TRACKING AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES
At the meetings, the GPS system of Shalkar Innovations LLP for tracking garbage trucks was demonstrated. On 27 May, a second meeting took place between the FBRK correspondent and Daulet Doskulov, head of the Environmental Protection Department.
He reported that two out of three companies had stopped dumping waste in Koyandy following discussions with them. Only the company GorKomTrans continues to ignore the recommendations.
Shalkar Innovations claims it holds a database of vehicle registration numbers and can provide data on the number of trips to the landfill. This is expected to help assess the environmental damage and set objective fines.
TARIFFS AND QUESTIONABLE INITIATIVES
Particular attention was drawn to the issue of increasing the tariff for waste collection from 390 to 700 tenge. Doskulov admitted this was his personal initiative, which no one had requested.
When asked about the rationale for such a decision, he explained that the additional funds would allow companies to work more effectively, but this logic appears dubious.
SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS AND FUTURE PLANS
Other environmental issues were also discussed during the meetings. Doskulov expressed concern about the state of the Vyacheslav Reservoir, which supplies water to Astana. He asked for investigative materials to be sent and promised to use administrative resources to address the problems.
The official noted the ineffectiveness of the fight against landfills — despite efforts, they continue to appear in new locations. The main source of violations is construction companies. The city administration plans to require them to install GPS trackers on their vehicles to monitor routes.
Doskulov admitted that the department does not always fully read incoming correspondence, which means some problems remain unresolved. He thanked the journalists for their work and promised to rectify the situation.
CONCLUSION
The meetings with representatives of environmental authorities revealed a contradictory picture: on the one hand, officials demonstrate an understanding of the problems and a willingness to engage in dialogue; on the other, they acknowledge the limitations of their authority and systemic failures in their work.
GPS tracking and the promises of officials offer hope, but only time will tell how effective they will be. The key issue remains coordination between departments and ensuring real accountability for all participants in the waste management chain.