Monitoring of resettled communities

Since resettlement of the first residents from Berezovka and Bestau villages to Araltal micro district and apartment buildings in Aksai at the end of 2017, KPO has been annually monitoring the livelihood restoration of the resettled families. As part of our surveys during our meetings with Araltal residents, the community members complained about a lack of a rainwater drainage system around the constructed 100 houses and local school.

The residents’ concerns were brought up by KPO to the attention of the authorities of the Burlin district and West Qazaqstan Oblast. As a result of joint efforts made by KPO and local executive and state bodies, a new Decree of the Government of the Republic of Qazaqstan (No. 203 dated 04.01.2021) was adopted on allocation of additional funds for implementation of post-resettlement projects, including Drainage System Project in Araltal, and Demolition and Land Reclamation Project of the former Berezovka and Bestau villages.

In late 2021, KPO completed the Drainage System Project around 100 houses and a school in Araltal. During the entire construction period, which took six months, KPO Community Relations Team engaged with Araltal residents on the project, informing the residents about the project, its design, construction progress and providing prompt responses to written and verbal requests and complaints with involvement of a contractor construction company to resolve the issues. Thanks to KPO’s continuous communication with the residents during construction period, all their comments and requests were considered by the contractor. In total, KPO Community Relations team held 97 meetings with the Araltal residents to discuss and resolve issues related to the project during construction.

Productive cooperation of KPO with residents and local authorities of Burlin district has contributed to community issues being timely resolved and 94 complaints closed out, minimizing the risks of non-completing the work on schedule, and helping maintain trustful relationship with residents.

Overall, KPO’s cooperation with local communities of Burlin District during implementation of various projects helps minimize the potential social and environmental risks associated with the Company’s activities at the Karachaganak Field.

Socially vulnerable community members, who moved to Aksai and Araltal, are in particular focus of attention in KPO’s monitoring process. KPO Community Liaison Officer visits the elderly residents living alone in order to provide assistance in resolving their issues.

KPO has deployed 18 Environmental Monitoring Stations (EMS) across the Karachaganak Field and around the Sanitary Protection Zone and two truck-mounted mobile EMS. Please see more about KPO’s air quality monitoring in the «Preventing impacts on the communities» section.