State bodies have disclosed the measures taken following a private court ruling in the case of Agro Protein LLP. The head of the district sanitary-epidemiological service unit received a formal reprimand, while the legal dispute over the cancellation of the company's environmental permit continues.
HOW THE CONFLICT DEVELOPED
Previously, FBRK reported on the litigation surrounding the Agro Protein LLP project in the city of Akkol. The company planned to implement a project for processing livestock waste and producing protein feed; however, following appeals from local residents and an unscheduled inspection, state bodies identified violations.
As a result of the inspection, several legal proceedings were initiated simultaneously: the Department of Natural Resources demanded the cancellation of the company's environmental permit, and in a separate case, the court issued a private ruling addressed to the sanitary-epidemiological service, citing violations in the handling of the company's application.
To ascertain how this court decision has been implemented and the current stage of the second case, the editorial team sent inquiries to the relevant departments.
WHAT MEASURES THE SANITARY SERVICE TOOK
According to the Department of Sanitary and Epidemiological Control of the Akmola Region, an internal investigation was conducted regarding the erroneous determination of the sanitary protection zone size and the hazard class of the facility.
As a result, the head of the Akkol District Department of Sanitary and Epidemiological Control received a formal reprimand. Additionally, the department invalidated a previously sent response to Agro Protein LLP and stated that it had notified the court of compliance with the private ruling within the legally established timeframe.
However, when asked by the editorial team whether internal procedures for preparing sanitary-epidemiological conclusions had been changed after the court decision, the department did not provide a direct answer. The department merely stated that no further applications for establishing a sanitary protection zone had been received since the facility was commissioned.
WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT
FBRK received another response from the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Regulation of the Akmola Region.
The department confirmed that it had already filed a claim for the cancellation of the environmental permit issued to Agro Protein LLP. However, a court hearing has not yet been scheduled, meaning the environmental permit remains in effect.
The department also reported that no information regarding the rectification of the violations identified during the unscheduled inspection had been received. Furthermore, the department has no information about the resumption of the company's operations.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The court's private ruling led to an internal investigation and disciplinary action against the head of the district sanitary-epidemiological service unit.
Meanwhile, the main legal dispute concerning the environmental permit for Agro Protein LLP remains unresolved. Until the claim is heard on its merits, the environmental permit issued to the company continues to be valid.
