On April 11, 2019, a meeting was held in the City Hall of the Jalal-Abad city to discuss the environmental strategic development plan of the city.

Meeting was attended by the mayor of the Jalal-Abad city M. A. Tagaev, the head of the mayor’s office E. E. Ziyaydinov, the head of the regional department of the state inspection on environmental and technical safety (SIETS) under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in the Jalal-Abad city and the Suzak district B. A. Sultangaziyev, his deputy A. Khudaiberdiev, representatives of the Jalal-Abad Territorial Administration (JTA) and the Forest Protection Station of the State Agency for Environmental Protection and Forestry (SAEPF), The national epidemiological inspectorate, MP “ Tazalyk ”, The city artchitecture , regional society of hunters and fishermen, The national registration center, The green agriculture, State water utility,  deputies of the City Council, environmental NGOs, business associations and the media (JTRK and Radio Azattyk).

After getting acquainted, Mayor of city, the head of the SIETS Directorate and the director of the Aarhus Center in the city of Osh, K. Isabaev welcomed with the greeting speech.

The Deputy Head of the SIETS Reginal management made a presentation “Development through Security”. He familiarized participants with the establishment of the state inspection, the situation and the regulatory acts of SIETS, with the work plan of the regional administration. Highlighted the following environmental problems of the Jalal-Abad city:

• operation of gas stations and 2 refineries in the city;
• problems of greenery and the state of the parks (ecological parks);
• absence of a stationary laboratory for measuring the level of air pollution;
• status of 2 wastewater treatment plants;
• about the state of the landfill.

The representatives of the civil sector and organizations noted that there are no litter bins in many streets. They also asked the municipal services to solve the issue of providing irrigation water to organizations, enterprises and the population of the city.

In the end, all participants pledged to strengthen the work in their industry to improve the ecological condition of the city. They asked the mayor of the city to include in the agenda of the working sessions and at the session of the deputies of the State Council the above problems and to consider the allocation of funds from the budget to improve the ecological condition of the city. In their opinion, in the future, these issues should become an integral part of the strategic development plan of the city. Participants also noted the importance of interaction between state structures, municipal services, business structures and civil society.

Taking into account the information of the SIETS Reginal management on ensuring environmental and technical safety in Jalal-Abad and following the results of the discussions, the participants suggested the following:

• The head of the RUET Institute for Jalal-Abad and the Suzak district and the staff of the Jalal-Abad mayor’s office should establish interaction between municipal services and business associations, enterprises in solving and promoting environmental protection and environmental safety in the city of Jalal-Abad;
• During the development of strategic plan of the Jalal-Abad city development, they should discuss with the SIETS Directorate in the city of Jalal-Abad and the Suzak district, the SAEPF JTA and municipal services and pay attention to environmental issues and environmental safety;
• To the relevant departments of the city hall, city architecture, state register, when allocating land for individual housing construction, ensure compliance with the requirements of the boundaries of industrial and residential areas;
• JTA SAEPF to assist municipal services for the preparation of project proposals for submission to the Republican Fund for Nature Protection;
• To conduct Meetings with municipal services of the mayor’s office to provide irrigation water to the population and institutions
• The heads of the enterprises together with the Regional Management SIETS, SAEPF JTA and the city mayor’s office to develop action plans to ensure environmental protection and ensure environmental safety.
• To work on the preparation of joint projects for the protection of the environment and environmental safety;
• Annually hold such meetings with the participation of interested parties.

The mayor of the city, the director of the Aarhus Center and the head of the SIETS Regional Department thanked the representatives of the city and region services for their active participation, and wished them success in their work.

The event was held by the Aarhus Center in the city of Osh in cooperation with the SIETS Directorate in the city of Jalal-Abad and the Suzak District in the framework of the OSCE Program Office in Bishkek Environmental Safety and Natural Resource Management project.

Public Relation Specialist ,

Turgunbek Jumabekov