The issue of safety on the water basins in summer period was considered at the Government session under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov.

Minister for Emergency Situations Yuri Ilyin reported that to date 487 authorized places for swimming in the Republic, of which 149 are communal and 338 are private beaches. However, local executive bodies need to increase the number of official and equipped places for swimming by at least 15-20% in order to have a safe summer period.

Over the last three years more than one thousand people drowned in the country. At the same time last year the number of drowned people declined by 43%. The main reasons for the death of people on the waters are swimming in unequipped places, leaving children without adult supervision, swimming while intoxicated and underestimating their own strength.

To ensure the safety of people in the water the Ministry of Emergency Situations, together with the police departments and akimats carried out a range of organizational and practical measures. In particular, it organized more than 45 thousand raids and patrols, during which 480 offenders were brought to administrative responsibility. In addition, at safe children's beaches, in stationary and frame-module pools lifeguards of the Ministry for Emergency Situations together with the akimats teach children the skills of swimming.

As Minister of Internal Affairs Marat Akhmetzhanov noted, with the onset of the summer season in places of mass recreation of citizens the density of foot police detachments is increased. Instructions on rules of safe behavior of children in public, recreational areas and ponds were sent to all educational organizations. At the same time, car patrols operating near the ponds are equipped with all the necessary tools to help drowning people with life saving wheels, vests, ropes, etc.

He added that only since the beginning of the year, patrolmen rescued 9 drowning citizens. Just the day before, police officers in Kyzylorda region rescued a local university student drowning in a canal.

"I want to commend the act of Major Yerzhan Abdramanov for saving a drowning man. Such people should be encouraged and set as an example for others," the Prime Minister said.

Minister of Education Gani Beisembayev informed of ensuring safety of children in out-of-town camps, Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Marat Karabayev informed of control of operation of small size vessels, including in places of mass water recreation.

Akims of Aktobe region Yeraly Tugzhanov, of Almaty region Marat Sultangaziyev, and of Turkestan region Darkhan Satybaldy reported on measures taken in regions.

Prime Minister said that this year "Kazgidromet" predicts a hot summer, especially in the west, east and south of the country. Accordingly, an increase in the number of holidaymakers at water bodies is expected.

"Summer has just begun, and the number of deaths in bodies of water is already increasing. Only for the first day of summer in the summary of the Ministry of Emergency Situations was 4 people drowned. The day before yesterday there were 9 cases in one day. Yesterday there were 4 more. And all drowned in prohibited areas. It is really a serious problem," Alikhan Smailov said.

However, work on preparation for the swimming season continues: the regions are equipped with official places for swimming, new beaches are built, and preventive work on water safety is carried out.

Head of the Government added that about 300 people drown annually in the country, about 100 of them are children. This indicates that the measures taken are not enough.

"In Abay, Zhetisu and Ulytau regions, no official places for swimming have been established so far. And in Kyzylorda region, only four bathing places have been identified for the entire region. In Almaty region, many private beaches on the banks of the Kapshagai reservoir are not registered as official places for bathing," the Prime Minister listed.

In this regard, regional akimats together with the Ministry of Emergency Situations were instructed to intensify work on the establishment of safe places for people to swim with informing the population about it.

Head of the Government also noted that the main preventive work is carried out only in cities and regional centers. In rural areas it is practically not carried out.

"Therefore, 60-70% of people, who have drowned, fall on the villages. It is necessary to work extensively in this direction. The population should be informed about the basic safety rules on the waters, first aid for a drowning person, and information on the availability of equipped and dangerous places for bathing," Alikhan Smailov said.

In addition, the Prime Minister pointed out that the irrigation canals in the southern regions are also a danger to people: most canals and ditches have no fences.

"Children suffer from this in the first place. Especially many cases of their deaths in canals are registered annually in Almaty, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda and Turkestan regions. As a positive experience, I would like to give an example of Turkestan Oblast, where special devices are being installed that allow one to get out of the canal independently in case of falling. Akimats of the regions need to study this experience and work on the issue of safety on canals and ditches," Alikhan Smailov said.

At the same time, the Prime Minister added that the majority of those who drowned were in a state of alcoholic intoxication. That's about 70% of cases. In this regard, departments of internal affairs bodies together with government agencies need to organize the appropriate work. In particular, by warnings and administrative measures to suppress the consumption of alcoholic beverages near water bodies.

"For this purpose it is necessary to intensify patrolling of recreation areas by the water, especially at weekends and on public holidays," Head of the Government stressed.

He also commented on the case of electrocution of a child in a fountain in Pavlodar region.

"Of course, bathing in fountains is generally prohibited. Sanitary doctors constantly remind about the danger of this. However, children still go swimming in the fountains. All the akimats need to check the safe operation of fountains, as well as tighten control and not allow swimming in them. The Ministry of Internal Affairs should get involved in this work," Alikhan Smailov stressed.

In conclusion, he ordered to take measures to control the operation of small vessels.

"There have been a lot of cases of people boating on malfunctioning vessels, which ended tragically. We need strict control in this matter," Alikhan Smailov said.

#Alikhan Smailov #The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan #Government session #Ministry for Emergency Situation