Issyk-Kul Lake is threatened by the “irrigation interests” of neighbor countries
Lake Issyk-Kul is currently under threat. This was announced today at an event dedicated to the use of water resources in the context of climate change within the framework of SOR29, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic Edil Baisalov said. According to him, the water level in the lake decreases every year.
“Several dozen rivers flow into it, but none flows out. This lake is sacred to us. Of course, we will teach our farmers around Issyk-Kul to conserve water, but I want to draw attention to something else. Those rivers that flowed in large volumes into the lake are now being redirected in the irrigation interests of our neighboring states. We are raising this issue and will discuss it openly and honestly. We have lost the Aral Sea and cannot afford to lose another lake. It is necessary to preserve Issyk-Kul, we will hold international conferences on this topic in the near future,” said Edil Baisalov.
He noted that there will be enough water resources in the republic for the next few centuries.
“The question is about the careful attitude to water in the interests of neighbors, peoples downstream. I would like to recall the words of President Sadyr Japarov. In January of this year, he stressed that Kyrgyzstan will remain a good neighbor who will take the interests of our fraternal Central Asian states as close to his heart as his own people,” the official added.
To this end, the state, according to him, in 2024 directs huge resources to introduce new technologies at the level of each family and the whole country.
“In 2025, several hundred million dollars will be allocated for this to build new reservoirs, restore canals, irrigation networks, and introduce drip irrigation systems. A large-scale project for the construction of the Kambar-Ata HPP-1 is being launched. This will make it possible to better manage our most important waterway, the Naryn River, and will allow both generating electricity and saving water for irrigation purposes for downstream states,” said Edil Baisalov.
The UN Climate Change Conference has been held in Baku since November 11. Today, the Kyrgyz pavilion is dedicated to the problems of agriculture, food security and water resources in the face of climate change.
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