Lake Khovsgol on the Scaffold
{mosimage}Ts. Baldorj, Chairman of the Mongol News Media Group, is considered a forefather of Mongolia’s independent media, died of illness. Mongolian high-profile public officials, journalists, writers, poets, and ordinary people have expressed their condolences to the group.
Ts. Baldorj, Chairman of the Mongol News Media Group, is considered a forefather of Mongolia’s independent media, died of illness. Mongolian high-profile public officials, journalists, writers, poets, and ordinary people have expressed their condolences to the group. During the communist era, he was a wellknown for his sharp article criticizing society. Here we publish an excerpt of his award-winning article “Lake Khovsgol on the Scaffold”. He wrote this for the 223 issue of ‘Unen’ daily newspaper in 1987. At that time no one dared to touch this issue except him. The Soviet Union’s geologists had discovered a large phosphorus mine near Lake Khovsgol, the second largest pure water lake in the world. It was clear that the lake would go dry, if mining was allowed.
There are many Mongolian legends about beautiful Khovsgol. According to a Russian researcher’s article, in ancient times, a great lama who lived in Huis Iceland, organized a horse-cart transportation system. The Lama always said “Khovsgol is a sacred lake; a gift from heaven. No one is allowed to pollute it. You must carry bags, put your horses’ manure in it”
…but what do we do to protect our sacred lake, worshipped by our ancestors? Today the oldest ship on the lake, “Sukhbaatar” is carrying 300,000 metric tons of petrol nearly everyday. The ship’s bottom is only 0.04mm thick and covered with many patches. The State Safety committee drew this conclusion after checking the bottom “It’s nearly caused the ship to be set on fire.”
Unfortunately, administrators in charge of this issue, do not pay attention. D. Yondonsuren, Minister of Transportation said, “It is impossible to replace the barge “Urgats” with a new tanker, with double the bottom in the next five years”. I’m afraid and regret that one day, the barge will pour 300,000 tons of petrol in Khovsgol.
But this cold hearted attention is nothing compared with the following. Another dangerous face for Lake Khovsgol is phosphorus mining. V.P. Kareev, General geologist of the expedition from Russia said, “We have ended a feasibility study and other studies that have lasted four years. It is possible to use this mine for 40 years by opencast mining. During this time every year, 12 million tons of phosphorous would be extracted.
Today we are looking for any method to mine it, in order to protect wild nature. Because some strip of the mine is near the lake by 2.5-5 km.” There are also other phosphorus mines: Jankhai Mountain range, Ongolog Lake and Urandush Mountain discovered near the lake. Some people are happy that a new town, big mines and villages built in northwestern Mongolia will bring development. Let’s think about using the mines and how it will impact wildlife near Lake Khovsgol.
It’s time for ordinary Russian men to fight for protecting Baigal Lake, the first largest pure water lake in the world. Russian senior scholar G. Shpaizer who headed the Russian scholar team to study Khovsgol for a decade. “I know well that Khovsgol ’s environment is more fragile than Baigal. Compare Baigal with Khovsgol, located 1200 m high from sea level. Therefore it’s easily broken. For example: Tons of dust arise from mine blasting covering the lake. No one imagines this impact”
A cellulose factory was built near Lake Baikal in the late 60’s and made much pollution. As a result, local people fought against it and won. Even so, workers of the cellulose factory fought by saying that it’s true we work here, take salary and pension for living. But working to help kill Lake Baikal, our national worship. We don’t allow it. According to study, made at that time, the length of some fish shortened, the pure lake was polluted and hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest dried because of poisonous gases. In 1987, leaders of the Soviet Union discussed Lake Baikal’s wild nature and drew up a huge plan to protect it.
We fight for the mother lake in this way. The administration, Save Lake Khovsgol was founded one year ago, but nothing has been seen to protect Khovsgol. There are over twenty officials who are salaried from the government. It has been considerable time since an expedition from the Mongolian National University, a limnologist station and permafrost stations were built in Khovsgol, but in vain. Because they cannot unite for Khovsgol. In Khatgal city where Save Khovsgol was organized, there’s no one to oversee the protection of Khovsgol.
Today, many people send letters for saving Khovsgol. Some of them never see the lake but they love it from the bottom of their hearts. They said “We loaned the lake from our forefathers for future generations”.
In my opinion the phosphorus-hunger has not happened yet. The Agriculture branch is only beginning in Mongolia. I agree we have to use our natural recourse. People are thinking about how to make huge money within a few years versus how to preserve nature for the next generation. Let’s protect Lake Khovsgol, a gift to us from heaven.
Translated by O.Togookhuu
The UB Post
