“The situation is so serious that it could escalate to glacial issues. Local residents depend on the water from the Bala-Chychkan River and are asking parliament to intervene to assess the current situation,” Sulaymanov added.
As previously reported by hydrologist Gulbara Omorova, local residents are anxious about the plans for exploration and gold extraction at Lake Kyzyl-Kol in the Chychkan Gorge, where glaciers and high-altitude pastures are located.
Omorova emphasized that residents are in despair and are asking for their voices to be heard at the highest level. They are worried about the risks associated with ecological disaster and pollution of water bodies, including the Chychkan and Bala-Chychkan rivers, as well as springs and sources in the area.
“Water for the 40,000 residents of the city of Toktogul comes from the Bala-Chychkan River, which originates in the very glaciers where gold extraction and exploratory work are planned. The destruction of these glaciers could threaten not only the ecology but also the lives of thousands of people, as well as lead to the extinction of wild animals and the loss of unique biodiversity,” she noted. It should be remembered that the Chychkan Gorge and Lake Kyzyl-Kol have been under protective status since 1972. The Chychkan State Zoological Reserve was established by the resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Kyrgyz SSR No. 532 from 1972. The resolution “On the Approval of Users of Hunting Grounds in the Jalal-Abad Region” dated June 28, 2005, is also being ignored,” Gulbara Omorova added.
