On the 149th day of Azerbaijan's national press celebration, the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Ecology, the State Committee for Architecture and Construction, the Confederation of Trade Unions of Azerbaijan, the Executive Authority of the Khazar District, and Azersu OJSC marked the occasion with an unexpected spectacle: a sewage fountain in the settlement of Buzovna.
These organizations are involved in the illegal construction of a two-kilometer sewage line in Buzovna. Some entities were directly involved, while others were complicit through their silence, ignoring appeals and evidence pointing to the project’s illegality, non-compliance with regulatory requirements, and the substandard work performed by Azersu OJSC and its contractor.
Several accidents have already occurred on the sewage collector after the illegal sewage line was connected. Information requests about these incidents have either been ignored or met with implausible explanations, such as "we are not involved," "we were not informed," or "all works were carried out in accordance with regulatory legal acts." This is despite substantial evidence to the contrary being presented and publicized.
Continuing this policy could lead to more serious consequences, potentially resulting in fatalities.
A similar silence surrounds publications and information requests about the discharge of untreated sewage into the Caspian Sea near the Zagulba beach area. Reports indicate that approximately seven million cubic meters of untreated sewage are released annually. Despite this, the Ministry of Ecology declares the Zagulba and Buzovna beaches suitable for swimming. Southward winds carry bacteria toward the presidential residence and government dachas, while northward winds spread contamination across the Buzovna beach area and beyond. Cases of dysentery among children have been reported after visiting these beaches. Adults seem unaffected, likely due to known immunity factors.
Similar issues have been reported in Govsany, where coastal residents cannot open windows due to the stench from the sea, which is also contaminated by sewage discharge. The Ministry of Ecology has declared this area unsuitable for swimming. However, the primary concern is not the suitability for swimming, but the need to address the root causes of marine pollution.
As Azerbaijan marks its national press day, the sewage fountain incident underscores pressing issues of accountability and environmental protection that demand immediate attention, especially on the eve of COP29.
Previous articles:
Is it possible to raise the standards of beach recreation amidst environmental issues?
Environmental crisis in Azerbaijan: sewage scandals and inactivity of state structures
Silence speaks volumes: Azerbaijan's struggle with transparency and accountability
Will Azerbaijani beaches raise "Blue flags"?
Construction of Immoral Water Supply System in Buzovna Accelerated
Construction of "immoral" water pipeline is suspended
Third Lawsuit against Azersu on Turan News Agency's Information Request
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