A significant issue in the Isfara District in north-eastern Tajikistan is the demand for land due to overcrowding and limited availability to irrigated agricultural land. This has resulted in tension and, at times, violent conflict in the Tajik-Kyrgyz border areas. To reduce tension, the government of Tajikistan has embarked upon a programme to move families from the densely populated areas to outlying locations such as the town of Shurob. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has assisted with this initiative by undertaking repairs to Shurob’s water supply system and installing water pumps. However, significant challenges remain to provide land for new housing and, in particular, to address the numerous partially deconstructed buildings left behind as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Today these houses pose a serious threat to the remaining residents – particularly as Shurob is located within an active seismic zone.
To assist with the required deconstruction programme, UNDP requested the support of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) / Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Joint Environment Unit (JEU). An initial scoping visit was undertaken in March, 2015 during which it was determined that there is a serious problem with asbestos waste dumped in numerous locations around the town. Further, it was observed that the two-storey buildings identified for deconstruction contained large quantities of asbestos containing roofing sheets. The Joint Unit undertook a follow-up mission in June 2015 during which key stakeholders were provided with comprehensive training to communicate the deconstruction plan; health and safety considerations; and how to identify, safely handle and dispose of asbestos waste.
The full report is available here.
