Villagers Demand Compensation for Lingering Health Risks
Residents of nearby villages near the Boysun gas field are facing increasing danger to their health and livelihoods following a second gas leak at the site. The incident on September 17 resulted in four fatalities and eleven injuries, causing toxic hydrogen sulfide gas to continue leaking from the well. As a result, locals are grappling with health concerns, disrupted lives, and calls for compensation.
In the aftermath of the accident, Kun.uz visited Kofrun village, where most residents had been evacuated. The village now remains quiet, with only a few returning intermittently to tend to their livestock. Residents reported feeling unwell with headaches, nausea, and other health issues linked to exposure to sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide gases.
Local hospitals are seeing an increase in patients with symptoms of mild poisoning, and residents are demanding compensation from the contracting company responsible for the gas leak. Many villagers, whose livelihood depends on farming and livestock, are struggling with increased costs and financial strain.
As the winter approaches, uncertainty prevails among residents as they await a resolution. Evacuated families have been housed in temporary shelters, but concerns about the future persist. The contracting company has yet to offer a definitive plan to compensate affected villagers or to close the well and stop the leak, leaving the people of Boysun living in fear of the ongoing threat to their health and well-being.
