Many residents of Nur-Sultan have joined campaigners and climate change activists to protest a development project that will reduce the size of Little Taldikol, a picturesque lake southwest of the Kazakh capital, Radio Free Europe (RSE) writes in English.
Environmentalists say the lake - with its surrounding wetlands and greenbelt - is home to many species of birds, fish and other wildlife that would lose their natural habitat if the construction project goes ahead.
The city authorities, however, insist that Mali Taldikol is not a "real lake", but an "extremely dirty" reservoir created from accumulated waste water and melted snow.
Work is already underway to partially fill the lake with earth and remove harmful substances from the area, officials say.
The project envisages the construction of a residential complex with modern infrastructure, including schools, a hospital and a park.
The campaign to try to stop the project has been going on for more than a year. Activists have organized several protests at the site, where a police vehicle is often parked to discourage people from gathering in illegal assemblies.
They also set up an Instagram page to raise awareness among the residents of Nur-Sultan about the negative effects that destroying the lake would have on the city where they live.
Some activists raised the alarm when they said the lake was being filled not only with soil, but also with garbage, including plastic waste and old tires.
The 'lungs' of the city
Ornithologist Ruslan Orazaliyev is among the Kazakh experts who warn that both ordinary people and city authorities should be environmentally conscious about their actions.
"It is not up to us, the people, to decide whether this lake should exist or disappear," Orazaliyev told the Kazakh service of RSE. "This lake and the ecosystem around it existed long before the capital was built here... [and long) before we got here. It is our duty to protect the ecosystem, not destroy it."
Orazaliyev said that disrupting the ecosystem can lead to serious consequences.
"We can only see the vegetation on the shores and the birds on the lake. But this area is also home to so many insects and other living creatures that form an ecological chain," he said. "By destroying one link, we end up destroying the whole system."
Echoing the sentiments shared by many Nur-Sultan environmental activists, Orazaliyev called Mali Taldikol and the green areas around it the "lungs" of the city, where residents often complain about deteriorating air quality.
"The number of people suffering from allergies in the city is constantly increasing because the air is dry, because there is construction work going on that pollutes the air and raises dust," said Orazaliyev. "The lake moistens the air: the water evaporates and the dust settles. It is a natural filter that suppresses the dust." Orazaliyev said that the lake "should not be taken for granted just because we got it for free."
Mali Taldikol is also an important stopover for more than 160 species of migratory birds, experts say.
"This place is on the global route, and it is an important stopover where birds eat and gain strength. Then they have to fly several thousand kilometers over waterless deserts," said Alyona Koshkina, an expert from the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan.
Local experts say that the city authorities need to know that the Mali Taldikol area is much more than a place where city residents go for a walk and admire the landscape filled with swans and ducks.
"There are so many studies on the role of green zones for the survival of cities," warned Koškina. "We will understand the importance of the lake only when it disappears – but it will not be easy to restore it."
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