In Atyrau, a long-standing problem for residents living near the oil refinery is finally being addressed. A prosecutor's inspection revealed that the sanitary protection zone of the Atyrau Oil Refinery (ANPZ) had been defined with violations and did not cover some residential buildings. Now, its boundaries will be expanded, allowing dozens of families to move to safer areas. The akimat, together with the plant's management, is already preparing a detailed relocation plan, reports infohub.kz.
The boundaries of the Atyrau Oil Refinery will be revised, and residents of nearby houses will be relocated. It emerged that the previously established sanitary protection zone violated citizens' rights. The inspection was conducted by a specialized prosecutor's office.
"Specifically, it was found that the previously approved boundaries of the sanitary protection zone did not include residential houses located in close proximity to the enterprise. Following this, a prosecutor's supervision act was issued, and a new project for the sanitary protection zone was developed. The updated boundaries now include additional residential addresses. Currently, the local executive body, together with the plant, has developed an action plan and begun its implementation," said prosecutor Miras Zhalmurzin.
With the adoption of the new project, the area of the sanitary zone will increase from 805 to 840 hectares, although the exact boundaries will still be adjusted. To justify these changes, ecologists conducted continuous research for a whole year.
"As part of this work, relevant studies were carried out over the course of a year. We covered four seasons: summer, spring, autumn, and winter. The studies determined conditions in all directions, taking into account wind direction, dispersion of pollutants, and the types of pollutants present. Thanks to this extensive work, the boundary of the sanitary protection zone has been developed and determined," said ANPZ representative Arman Dimukashev.
The new boundaries of the protective strip include a residential area from which residents of more than 80 private houses are planned to be relocated. The city akimat is already preparing documentation for the purchase of land plots for state needs.
"Its responsibilities will include notifying residents, conducting explanatory work, preparing the necessary documentation, and fully supporting the procedure. Then, in accordance with the requirements of the Land Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, all facilities located within the approved sanitary protection zone will be expropriated for state needs," said official representative of the akimat, Gasyrbek Tolegen.
The final number of buildings will be determined after the project is approved. Independent experts will assess the property. The situation remains under the personal supervision of the regional prosecutor.