ASTANA – Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov visited the Auliekol village in the Kostanai Region on Sept. 16 to inspect the construction of new houses for citizens who lost their homes due to massive forest fires at the beginning of September, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.
The government allocated more than 2.2 billion tenge (US$4.6 million) to deal with the wildfire aftermath.
“Local akimat (administration) and contractors must complete high-quality construction work in two months. This issue is under the special control of the President and the government. Therefore, we anticipate a responsible implementation,” Smailov said, addressing representatives of contracting companies.
The Kazakh PM also visited the evacuation point based on the school in the Auliekol village, where he met with people affected by the forest fires.
“We know that you face a difficult situation due to massive wildfires. However, the state quickly provided all required assistance at this vital time, and we will continue this work,” Smailov said.
The construction of new houses for fire victims started in the Auliekol village after President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited the region and instructed the government to take all necessary measures to mitigate the consequences of the wildfires.
The Emergency Situations Ministry reported nearly 91 houses suffered irreparable damage due to the wildfires in the Kostanai Region. According to the technical inspection, the houses were completely burned down and were beyond repair.