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is one of the key elements to any
comprehensive global
approach to address mercury.
If the mine
closes, the need for reemployment and
rehabilitation of exploited and contaminated
areas will remain. The
mercury mine is the main source of
income for the town –
about 10,000 people – and also creates
indirect employment that may not continue
without the income provided
by the mine. Water pumped from the
mines to keep shafts
accessible is used for irrigation of the few
areas suitable for
agriculture. While most of southern
Kyrgyzstan relies on
agriculture as its main source of income,
soil fertility and
climatic conditions in Khaidarkan valley are
unfavourable.
Behind all
these needs is the reduction of the
resources available to the Government of
Kyrgyzstan for preventing pollution, since
independence from the former Soviet Union.
UNITAR and
UNEP, in partnership with Zoï Environment
Network, with funding support from
Switzerland, the United States of America
and Norway, have assisted Kyrgyzstan with
capacity building for Action Plan
development. With
inputs from and the participation of a wide
variety of
stakeholders, an Action Plan on Primary
Mercury Mining and its Impact on the
Environment has been produced
and is being considered at the
highest levels of government. The following
key areas have been identifid for action at
Khaidarkan in the Action Plan:
- Development
of socially responsible plans for mine
closure, with environmentally acceptable and
economically
affordable rehabilitation techniques defied
to deal with
contaminated waste and land;
- Promotion of
other viable economic activities and ways
of sustaining livelihoods that do not
involve primary mercury mining must be
developed;
- Improved
public awareness, strengthened controls,
improved information and reporting are also
needed.
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