Deputy of the Bishkek City Council Janibek Asanbekov reported on the situation, noting that a field commission was organized to investigate the circumstances of the construction.
The commission included representatives from the architectural department, the Center for State Sanitary Supervision (CSSS), relevant services, and village residents.
At the commission's site, it became clear that the cemetery continues to operate, despite documents provided by the developers from the village administration in 2018 regarding its closure.
Moreover, experts confirmed violations of sanitary and urban planning regulations during the issuance of construction permits.
The construction projects belong to the companies "Nurzaman" (urban villas Valencia) and "Shirin Business Group" (wellness center).
At a meeting with the deputy, local residents noted that the cemetery has existed since 1953. The head of the village administration was detained for the illegal issuance of construction permits.
Asanbekov emphasized that the sanitary zone around the cemetery should be 100 meters, and any construction within this radius is unacceptable. However, in reality, construction is taking place just 30 meters from the burials, which is a serious violation of the law. He expressed his intention to contact the prosecutor's office to request an investigation into the legality of the issued documents and to assess the actions of officials.
The deputy also expressed hope for a fair legal resolution and that all officials involved in the violations would be held accountable.
With indignation, he asked local authorities: "Can you issue a permit based on any document?"
Asanbekov added that issues of sanitary safety and respect for the memory of the deceased should not be secondary compared to the interests of construction projects.
Developers' Opinion
The editorial team of Kaktus.media reached out to the company "Nurzaman" for clarification.The company claims that all necessary construction permits were obtained legally.
"According to sanitary regulations, as per the government decree of April 11, 2016, No. 201, the minimum distance from cemeteries to residential buildings should be 300 meters; however, if the area of the cemetery is less than 10 hectares, this distance can be reduced to 50-100 meters. Our construction is located 80 meters from the cemetery, which does not violate sanitary requirements," the company stated.
Regarding the issue of the cemetery's closure, representatives of "Nurzaman" claim that they have confirmation from the architecture department of the Alamudun district that the cemetery is closed, as there are no burial sites available on its territory.
The editorial team of Kaktus.media was unable to contact representatives of the second construction company, "Shirin Business Group," but is ready to provide information from them as well.
