Extraction of inert materials. On the Aravan-Sai River. Kerek
Illegal extraction is taking place on the Aravan-Sai River, where local residents use sand and gravel material for their construction projects or private homes. Unfortunately, there is no perfected methodology that allows for an accurate assessment of the environmental damage caused by illegal extraction. However, this does not mean that the harm is insignificant, as the extraction of gravel and sand mixtures from the river disrupts the riverbed, creates pits, and if extraction occurs in fields or forests, it leads to erosion and the formation of ravines, which can subsequently result in land loss. The operation of heavy machinery that extracts sand and gravel from riverbeds significantly affects the fish's food supply.
When excavators work in the riverbed, they stir up a suspension of sand and soil particles. All of this then settles in a thick layer on the bottom, burying bottom-dwelling organisms and various small crustaceans, which serve as the main food source for fish. Scientists have established that the negative impact of such activities extends up to 500 meters downstream and can lead to the complete destruction of the fish's food supply.
According to specialists, the penalties for extracting sand and gravel from riverbeds are very small. It is often impossible to reach the organizers of this profitable business. The scheme is simple: an entrepreneur hires an excavator and trucks to extract river sand and gravel, which is considered the best for construction work. A truckload of such sand or gravel costs between 3,000 to 5,000-6,000 soms. One excavator can load up to 40 trucks in a day. As a result, the profit is enormous compared to our fines. Moreover, entrepreneurs do not pay any taxes.
This activity leads to the depletion of surface and groundwater, marshland formation, and pollution of protected water zones, destruction of their banks, and alteration of the riverbed.
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