Baku. TurkicWorld:
Monitoring has been carried out in Azerbaijani village of Soyudlu of the Gadabay district with the participation of employees of the relevant local structures since June 22, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev said at a briefing, TurkicWorld reports.
According to him, it was found that the content of dangerous substances in the air is within the norm.
The Ministry of Agriculture has carried out extensive monitoring work in the field of animal health, beekeeping, crop production, soil fertility. Statistical indicators for all diseases were measured. There are no significant differences in the mortality rate between the statistical indicators for the Azerbaijani village of Soyudlu of the Gadabay district and for the country.
"We tried to convey to the residents the results of inspections related to air quality indicators. The state of pastures was assessed by the Ministry of Agriculture. The ecological situation turned out to be stable," the minister said.
“Soil samples taken during monitoring are currently being analyzed. Some analyses of monitoring studies conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture have not yet been completed. The radiation background was measured in 86 points of the Gadabay district, the indicators are within the normal range," he added.
Toxic substances such as cyanide have not been detected in the Mis River flowing through the area.
Meanwhile, the commission was established in the village of Soyudlu of the Gadabay district to monitor and assess the current situation related to waste by order of Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov.
The commission consists of the Deputy Minister of Health, the Deputy Minister for Emergency Situations, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, the Head of the Department of Industry and Energy of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Head of the State Service for Property Issues under the Ministry of Economy and the Head of the Executive Branch of the Gadabay district.
The commission was also instructed to ensure consideration of citizens' appeals in the village of Soyudlu of the Gadabay district regarding the protection of residents' health and environment, as well as prepare and submit relevant proposals to the Cabinet of Ministers.
As President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said yesterday during a meeting dedicated to the socio-economic results of six months of 2023, the incident in the Gadabay district is completely unacceptable.
"I believe that the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources was negligent as a minimum, it showed lack of control, acted as a passive observer, as a result of which a foreign investor contaminated our nature. People raised their legitimate voice of protest, but did anyone listen to them? No! One day, two days, three days, five days. What was the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources thinking? Wasn’t it aware that there was such a problem? It was either aware but turned a blind eye to it, or it was unaware. Both are not acceptable. It is true that some of the citizens were provoked and committed inappropriate and illegal acts, and this is intolerable and unacceptable. Some of those provocateurs have gone into hiding in Azerbaijan, others have fled abroad. Those in Azerbaijan have already been identified and several have been brought to justice. We will bring those abroad to account. Let no one think that we have forgotten this. Chaos, arbitrariness and provocations in Azerbaijan ended in 1993. If someone has forgotten that, we can remind them. Therefore, citizens should also show culture, as they say, show enlightenment, obey the law, and not throw stones at the police. Throwing stones at the police is not an act that brings honor to anyone. This is one thing. Secondly, it is a crime. If the Azerbaijani police show tolerance, it does not mean that people can throw stones at the police. This is absolutely unacceptable. I am saying this to everyone that we are not going to play with anyone’s whims here and if we believe that it is necessary, we will punish those involved in such a way that they will regret it.
At the same time, there was a natural reason for what happened. And this reason is that a foreign company came here to make money. We do not object, they have made investments and created jobs. Of course, they didn’t come here to do charity, they came here to earn money. But this does not mean that our nature should be destroyed in the process. It does not mean that people's pastures and grazing areas should be occupied. It does not mean that they should build a second wastewater lake without obtaining permission from anyone. Who gave them permission? It seems that either they colluded with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources or did it on their own. So, it should be seriously investigated. All instructions have been given to the prosecutor's office and other relevant institutions. After I heard the news, I called the Prime Minister and told him to immediately establish a commission and send them to the place. Did I have to actually say that? Didn’t the Minister of Ecology know that he should go there? I said to them that they should go there, talk to the people, take air samples, involve international experts. Because it is quite possible that the ministry was the cause of this incident. It is quite possible that you should involve international experts to give their opinion. To what extent is the exploitation of these fields harmful to people's health and nature? There is no answer so far. Yes, a meeting has been held, a statement was made in the Cabinet of Ministers, but whoever reads that statement cannot understand a thing. What does it actually state? What was the purpose of that statement? To downplay the issue or just say some general words like that. I gave a specific task, a specific one. Where are the results of the examination? How much time has passed? Almost a month has passed. No one has got back to me. The Cabinet of Ministers does not do it, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources does not do it either. They think that I have forgotten about it. No, I don't forget anything. I want to say again now that those who threw stones at the police should be ashamed in front of their families, in front of his children, in front of family members, in front of the whole public. Because the public saw those ugly scenes. This is why I am giving you a week's time. Both me and the public should be informed and the matter should be investigated. Why didn’t the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources pay attention to this issue, was indifferent, and even after I gave them the task, they went there and came back, but there is still no information about the result.
Foreign companies and local companies working here must respect the laws of Azerbaijan. If they do not respect our laws, their activity here will be impossible. Although foreign investors exploit the gold deposits in Gadabay based on a production sharing agreement, although they have been working here for many years, the laws of Azerbaijan, the ecological balance, all this must be respected. I should also inform you that our state company “AzerGold” operates gold deposits too. But according to the information provided to me, all environmental norms in that area are complied with. Among other things, there were contacts with local communities, various humanitarian campaigns were held, and people were recruited en masse. So, this is the approach shown by the Azerbaijani company. And that is the approach of a foreign company. This is intolerable, so, representatives of the foreign company should be invited. If they have not been invited so far, they should give an explanation to the Cabinet of Ministers, and let me say this again, myself and the public should be informed within a week. If there is the slightest danger to nature and people's health there, that activity should be stopped. That's it!" President Ilham Aliyev said.
