Issyk-Kul Lake: 10.4 tons of garbage removed from bottom
Divers working on behalf of President Sadyr Japarov have pulled out 10.4 tons of garbage from the bottom of Lake Issyk-Kul in 115 days, Turanews.kz reports.
The cleanup operation is underway in the city of Cholpon-Ata and the village of Kara-Oi. The bottom of the lake has been cleaned in the boarding houses “Ak-Bermet”, “Rakhat”, “Altyn-Kol”, “Eling”, “Eurasia”, a health center and a bay.
By July 17, 97,600 meters of fishing nets and 10.4 tons of garbage had been pulled from the bottom of the lake.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations noted that by the 155th day, 215,000 hectares had already been cleared.
The cleanup operation is part of a larger effort to clean up Lake Issyk-Kul, which is a popular tourist destination in Kyrgyzstan. The lake is home to a variety of fish and other aquatic life, and the garbage that has been pulled from the bottom is a threat to the environment.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations has said that the cleanup operation will continue until the lake is clean.
In a statement, President Japarov said that the cleanup operation is “a matter of national importance.” He said that the lake is “a treasure that we must protect.”