100-year-old viruses can arise in Tashkent

Recently, most of the appeals to the editors are related to construction or demolition. One of the two petitioners says that a "business center" is being built illegally and contrary to construction standards, and the residents of the neighborhood are dissatisfied with it. Neither the authorities nor other organizations respond to this situation.

This time, QALAMPIR.UZ received an appeal from the citizens of the "Sheikh Shibli" neighborhood of Yunusabad district in Tashkent city. They said that the construction of 14 22-story and 6 16-story residential complexes began in the area of the Tashkent Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums, which began its work in 1918. The fact is that the institute produced special drugs for infectious diseases and tested the drugs on animals. Animals that died under the influence of drugs were buried in a special "bakkeri" patch on the institute's premises. There is also an animal cemetery in the area. According to experts, if construction is done in this area, the population of Tashkent will be in danger, and there is a very high probability of the spread of anthrax, which can result in 100% death. Local residents are dissatisfied and seriously worried about the planned construction.

"The construction company started building a multi-storey building in December 2022. They came to the neighborhood in April 2023. To be honest, we were very surprised. The territory of the institute cannot be touched. 'BIOFARM PLUS' LLC plans to build a residential complex called 'REGAL CITY' in this place. I don't think the customer has any information about how dangerous it is to build a house in these places. We don't have any information about who gave the land to the builder and on what basis for construction, even if it is dangerous to touch," said Akbar Muhiddinov, an activist of the neighborhood.

According to one of the neighborhood activists, they have applied to the relevant authorities several times. Unfortunately, no one paid attention to the fact that this area is poisonous.

"Our house is 50 meters away from the institute. That is why we are worried. If we lived far away from this area, we would not be so worried. Due to the construction, not only our house, but also 5,000 residents of this neighborhood are disturbed. There is no place left unwritten. Unfortunately, no one is 'reacting.' If it touches the ground and gets sick, the entire Uzbek people will be punished. We are worried about that," says citizen Nadir Najimov.

So why do people living in the neighborhood say that the territory of the Tashkent Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums is dangerous?

The fact is that in 1918, the Tashkent Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums was established at 37 Chingiz Aytmatov Street, Yunusabad District, Tashkent. The state institution with a 105-year history was subordinated to the Ministry of Defense of the USSR as a strategic object during the former USSR.

In 1987, the institute created and produced more than 150 vaccines, serums, and other biological preparations. In particular, vaccines and serums used to detect and prevent the spread of extremely dangerous infectious diseases such as smallpox, plague, cholera, anthrax, hemorrhagic fevers, brucellosis, tetanus, typhoid, malaria, botulism, leprosy, and other diseases were produced. The institute also conducted biological research and tests on the creation of therapeutic agents.

"In the production of the aforementioned vaccines and biopreparations, relevant infections were transmitted to laboratory animals in various ways, and biological research and tests were conducted. Tested animals were cremated in crematoriums established on the institute's premises or buried in the animal cemetery located on the site, or disposed of in open and closed "bakkeri" pits. According to available data, spores of certain infectious diseases can survive for a very long time in the external environment, especially in humid places where sunlight doesn't reach, for 100 years or more.

"We need to speak the bitter truth. Before the construction was approved, many organizations came and surveyed the site. Many people didn't return because these areas are high-risk zones. For some reason, entrepreneurs stuck around this time. There was also pressure from the builders. For example, the Sanitary-Epidemiological Peace and Public Health Committee came and said that it is impossible to build on this land. Employees from the Ministry of Emergency Situations also said the same thing. Then something happened, and the next day they said, 'It's fine.' I believe that these organizations were also 'influenced' from above.

"I have lived in this neighborhood for fifty years. We heard that the institute produced antiviral drugs. The area was guarded by the police, and no one could enter. How can entrepreneurs surround and take control of it? We don't understand what they gained. Those who mentioned the problem also threatened us, saying, 'Don't talk, do you know what will happen tomorrow?'", says neighborhood activist Gafur Zakirov.

Citizens reported that on May 30, the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES), the Sanitary-Epidemiological Peace and Public Health Committee, and the Veterinary Service came and took soil samples. The following day, three residents who participated in the process started feeling sick. The neighborhood chairman couldn't leave the house and was bedridden.

"The work started at 2:30 p.m. Fifteen samples were taken from six locations in the region. The excavator took samples from depths of 4, 3, and 1.8 meters. The process lasted for over two hours. Employees of the Sanitary-Epidemiological Service (SES) stated that the excavators should be disinfected. The equipment used in the area was disinfected, but we were surprised that the soil was taken outside.

"After the work was done, I felt soreness in the upper part of my bronchi and lungs. Our neighbor Otabek also experienced the same. Our neighborhood chairman has been receiving injections at home for three days," says Akbar Muhiddinov.

Aliya Yunusova, the Children's Ombudsman who visited the "Sheikh Shibli" neighborhood to study the problem, also states that building on the institute's premises is impossible. According to Yunusova, it can seriously harm the health of both children and adults.

"The citizens of the 'Sheikh Shibli' neighborhood appealed to us. There used to be an institute here. A businessman wants to build around this land. Building or excavating the ground in this area is not possible. The soil is contaminated. This soil poses a danger to the lives of people and children. If this construction is not halted, a great danger may arise," says Aliya Yunusova.

Nadir Najimov, who lives 50 meters away from the location where toxic substances are buried, says that they will only agree to the construction of a house if the President personally approves building on the institute's premises.

"I've thought about this issue a lot. If the builders come together and say, 'Whether it's an animal buried or a person buried, we'll dig 30 meters anyway,' then let the most important person, the highest leader, sign that 'it is possible to build here.' After that, we will support it," says Nadir Najimov.

We attempted to contact the company responsible for construction on the premises of the Tashkent Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums. Unfortunately, company representatives declined to speak with us. When we went to the institute, they mentioned that they could provide additional information after obtaining the results of the soil samples. There is no information available regarding how "BIOFARM PLUS" LLC acquired the land, under what conditions, or how they won the auction.

Batir Kurbanov, the Deputy Head of the Sanitary-Epidemiological Peace and Public Health Committee who participated in the sampling process in the region, stated that information will be provided to all media outlets once the sample tests are completed and the results are released.

On November 13, 2017, the sanitary norms and rules for the protection of atmospheric air in public places of the Republic of Uzbekistan (SanPiN No. 0350-17) were approved, and in paragraph 2.17 of the document, it states:

Food industry enterprises, as well as facilities producing tableware, dishes, equipment, etc., for the food industry, warehouses for finished products, and enterprises producing beverages and drinking water.

Water facilities complexes.

Wholesale warehouses for food raw materials and food products.

Residential buildings, preschool educational institutions, and other educational institutions.

Collective or individual dacha and garden plots.

Sports facilities, parks, healthcare, and treatment facilities.

Ibrahim Mamatkulov, Doctor of Medical Sciences and Professor, who worked for several years in the field of sanitary epidemiology and served as the Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs of the Tashkent Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums from 2019 to January 2023, stated that construction on the institute's premises is highly dangerous, and the consequences of such work can be severe.

"There's a 'bakkeri' fence in the area. People may question whether it's really a 'bakkeri' or not. This indicates something. It has a circular shape and is surrounded by square concrete. Day and night, they broke the 'bakkeri' fence to take samples. There was also a very strange smell. The smell made people in the neighborhood's mouths dry, and they felt a change in themselves. Now, let's assume we dig 20-30 meters deep. There might be unpleasant odors. Considering that changes have occurred in the neighbors and animals are buried here, we can say that chemical allergies can spread after excavation. Unfortunately, these odors can cause respiratory diseases.

"If there's pneumonia and it spreads to the lungs, it will be a 100% fatal disease," says Ibrahim Mamatkulov.

According to information from QALAMPIR.UZ, in 2020 and 2021, a total of 49 different soil samples were taken in the territory of the Tashkent Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums. Soil samples were taken from the surface of the earth at depths of 25 cm, 50 cm, and 75 cm.

Samples were also taken from the surface part of the 'Bakkeri' and the animal cemetery at a depth of 75 cm, and from the muffle furnace at a depth of 50-75 cm.

Not long ago, only 2-3 years ago, samples were taken from the cemetery of animals in the 'bakkeri' on the institute's site, indicating the presence of these animals. The residents of the 'Sheikh Shibli' neighborhood are also concerned about the diseases that may spread, not only to them but to the entire republic.

There's a saying that it's better to prevent a disease than to cure it. It's not a lie when we mention that vaccines were produced in the region and tested on animals, and dead animals were buried on the institute's premises. It's clearly stated in the sanitary regulations of Uzbekistan, not in any neighboring country, that it's impossible to build in this location.

We will make every effort to thoroughly examine the appeals received by the editorial office and deliver them to you. During our investigation, we will contact not only one party but also relevant authorities and other organizations. As mentioned earlier, there's no information available about the conditions under which the businessman acquired the land or who sold it to them. When we contacted the Yunusabad district administration, the businessman stated that the Yunusabad district administration did not grant them land for construction on the institute's premises. The mayor's office remains silent as usual. We hope that transparency will be ensured during the examination of the soil sample and that the laws will be upheld in this country where "human dignity is honored." We also hope that responsible “adults” will read the documents stating that construction is impossible. After all, you, we, and the officials all breathe this air.