As a die thrown at the Ural railway village and why they do not settle

“Before the cuckoo was singing, and now these not — die all”

As a die thrown at the Ural railway village and why they do not settle

Villages die in Russia — it is not a sensation and not even the news, especially in the context of rosy statements about government projects to support farmers, programmes for young rural doctors and teachers and other promises. In fact — the abandoned belongings of the once mighty house, overgrown with prickly weeds gardens, wolves and bears, peering over the stockade, and 90-year-old grandmother who, like a symbol of the bygone XX century, sit out on the verandas of their old years, going along with villages. “Before the cuckoo was singing, and now these not — die all,” complained the old woman. Correspondents Znak.com visited one of the most beautiful, but depressed areas of the Chelyabinsk region — Nyazepetrovska area. Here live the last years two abandoned structures RZD village — Uraim and brimstone Key. Their last inhabitants waiting for resettlement, but not sure it will happen before their death.

The longing, the roads and Putin on the anniversary

Nyazepetrovsky district that is located 240 km from Chelyabinsk and 120 km from Ekaterinburg, in brochures and on official sites called South Ural Switzerland. The nature here is really distinctive. Hills covered with dense pine forest, stretching to the clouds and pine trees and the air, from which dizzy. Here and there the noise of the river, the path winds among marshes. Road dangerous run across deer and foxes, or the hapless owl, vylupiv eyes, in the evening tries to cater directly to the windshield of the car.

This region is like the hunters and fishers of the Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk regions. Well, the more, alas, hates no one: neither the authorities nor the business nor the tourists nor the residents themselves. Last infirm or retirees, or their unlucky children, or drink, or just sit in the elderly on the neck, or children of these children. Those who have not found the strength and opportunity to leave.

The fact that the depressed area, did not even hide the local authorities.

“A lot of misfits. They think: came, the goat was shot, meat provided. Vodka bummed and all, you don’t have any state. This kind of self-sufficiency. And they are so used and so live. Unemployment is the highest in the region for 25 years, and maintenance workers and bus drivers can not find”, — says later first Deputy head of Nyazepetrovsky district Yuri Pedashenko.

Not stopping in the city, we immediately drove to the village of Sulphur Key. Well as going, making their way through the blurred downpour primer, thanks to the Navigator being lost and sneaking out there on the open river, an hour later, still get to the right place.

Here we are waiting for three residents of the once complete train station: Nana Rashid Valeeva that 2 August will be 90 years old, her 67-year-old son Rifat and their neighbour Maria — perky tanned woman 68 years old. The last two days, as recognized by the people themselves, they have the occasion: granddaughter sister grandma rasida posted in social networking history that her relatives, the authorities abandoned to die in the old village, which promised to resettle. And pulled in a cold village, high officials, social security. Before — neither of whom neither the hearing nor the spirit.

— And Putin will come? At least look at it — ask us at the end of grandma Rashid, constantly crawl stick on the old floorboards of the veranda.

You’re a celebrity now. Putin, too, I suppose, I saw you, grandma. Tackler out on Tuesday promised granddaughter called. He, too, is Putin. Surprise you will. Maybe he’s with the money immediately come here and you immediately into the apartment! Dream is not dream — meets Rashid’s sister, 82-year-old Rahida Osmanov. Cheerful and modern, it is also almost half a century has lived in Sulphur, but in 2012 left.

Rashid Valeeva and her sister Raghida

Rashid Valeeva lives in Sulphur with 1956. Life, as she says, — from start to finish — worked Potamia on the railroad. The father died at the front before moving from Belokatayskaya district, the mother died already here. The son is retired and lives with her. The younger sister could not bear the conditions and moved closer to the children in Verkhniy Ufaley (50 kilometers from Sochi).

— Well it was used until the road was working — said, constantly Smoking a cigarette, Rifat radikovich. — We went to passenger trains freight. In Zlatoust, Kusu. And then it was closed in 2012. Nothing was. Sleepers, no nothing. The road marginal, out — lining, protivohode drag. All taken away for scrap. Nothing.

— One little world we lived in, we always a holiday, always fun, — says Raghida Osmanov. — In the woods went for a walk. The new year is always celebrated, a lot of people there, a lot of young people. All railroad workers. Now they were all povezali: who where those apartment rents. But there is a warm toilet. And I too, because it left the most important thing. And grandma Rashid… Out where the toilet grandma walks in 40 degrees below zero. Somehow she has the strength for that. Chickens, roosters sang here of the cuckoo. And now those not to hear, also died. We are all here as a family were all hugging, kiss. So we lived for fun. And all the fun is gone, no jobs, water, there, for kilometer it is necessary to walk, column there in the woods.

And continues: “I too lived here 40 years. In 2012 he moved to Verkhniy Ufaley. To live here, how? Two Stoke the stove, the snow here’s a (pointing above head) clean, do you no, I already 83rd year, so I’m not a girl, not a young. Children also porazehalis. To live here is impossible. Here Rifat we retired, with her mother left. I won the children — one in Verkhniy Ufaley was taken, and not to himself: the apartment is removed”.

Grandma Rashid, before this silent, suddenly starts to cry and wail so that my throat rises kom: “to Hibernate is it true what (really. — Approx. ed.) there will be. Yes… the Blizzard resemble something. Toilet far out where, go, fall, two times has fallen, someone screaming. Bath in the woods. Potaski-ka water. Am I the only one here, left alone. In this hut. Steal the night-that, go. All bytescale. Scary. One even died for us, went in, the stove fell on him, zadavalsya. Trouble, trouble. There is no way, scary. One I, one…”.

— She calls me in Ufaley, so can not speak: all roars, roars, responsible sister. — Promised them in 2017 to be relocated, said that in 2019 will be relocated. It turns out that no one knows or cares. And my grandmother would die, and would not know why he died. And she of anguish would have died from boredom. The son goes fishing for the whole day, and she was alone. Scary steal go. Will kill for retirement, and no one will know.

— Where the whole day! For an hour or two! Out for food to go. Bike in the summer, in the winter snow nametet, now is mow the grass, then the potatoes over Spud. The road (CFR. — Approx. ed.) all left behind, passed the city. And the city nothing. No money. The pump burned out, and they do not have the money. And she (the roommate Maria) called the President, just arrived, made. And the light did the son of the grandmother rasida.

Indeed, in 2012, Maria Nikolaevna has phoned on a direct line to Vladimir Putin and complained that the pump is running, pumping water, and no road and light. The pump is made with the road promises, promises.

— The apartment we have the apartment. Three people can not move, wow. What a mess. And began to say that the granddaughter then abandoned my grandmother and father. But no we don’t quit. Why, if we put the state and if we promised, then not do it? What have our children? They help us as they can. I am a mother I can not give up one, neither here nor there. She already cooks, washes the dishes sometimes. The supervision she needs — continues retired.

Rifat worked for a local crane factory, shortly before the pension was reduced. Worked as a labourer, then retired. 10 years ago, says, in a Sulfuric Way, a lot of families there, people of the farm holding. And then, as the road (RZD) finally all left, everyone left except the three of them.

Indeed, there is a few houses that still like a glimmer of life, but she seems frozen: the gate is bolted, and the fence was so crooked that she did not need. In the old Windows and hang the curtains, but the glass in some places broken in the rooms — beds with mattresses, covered in a patina of nothingness. In the gardens there are more garden strawberries hidden among the weeds, and an old barn the inscription “Products”. The only reminder about the civilization — payphone, standing on a hill to communicate with the outside world.

Leave, leaving the elderly with their thoughts and anguish. Somehow not on itself. While, for example, the grandchildren came in a nice car, so it’s not so bad. But they themselves admit, in extenuation: it’s not that old people can’t just move and settle somewhere in a rented apartment, and that their grandmother has plowed all his life to the state and are waiting for his promised of thanks, but for some reason its not getting. Besides, having lived more than half a century in one place, die, seniors want somewhere here, but in recent years, the conduct is not so, and with the basic amenities of toilets and hot water.

We go to the same village Uraim — it, too, left the railroad. It’s still 20 miles away, about half — finish the road, not even gravel, just on the dim track. The result — as warned residents of Sulfuric Key is not reached. Bogged down in the quagmire of six kilometers to the place, barely got out and went back. Navigator suggested a different path. But it actually led to a dead end and the edge of the river. No wonder the area all go if not on tractors, the “NIV” and who is richer — the Renault Duster.

Nothing to do, return to Sochi, hoping to talk to the head of the district attorney and try to understand what the future still waiting for the abandoned villages.

Questions to the Ministry of construction

The head of district Valery Selivanov — a native of Sochi. Was born here, grew up here and stayed to work. Today he’s got a big Cabinet, plaid blazer, an impressive SUV, and Apple watch.

— The decision on resettlement of Sulphur and Urania Key was not accepted. Promises to residents and we did not give, — started head, agreeing to answer all questions. The issue was discussed in 2017 with Boris Dubrovsky. He assigned the Ministry of construction and region to prepare documents, how to resolve the issue. We are in the framework of the order conducted a survey of residents rated the condition of the households. We have a list of names of people applying for resettlement. Only 35 people. Many of them have the right, but do not actually live in these settlements. I repeat: no promises. Was gatherings the other village. In that and in other case, the residents said — we agree on resettlement. Then last fall, was born a letter from Urania from a woman who did not really understand, as there will be resettlement, and wrote a complaint to the Prosecutor. For this reason the audit was conducted.

How many people actually live in these villages?

— In the Sulfur actually Key people in the village Uraim — four. But if you solve the issue of resettlement, in Sulphur Key 11 houses in Urime 10 houses. All work completed is documented. We have prepared a road map. But then the Ministry had to develop a procedure for resettlement, because the mechanism of resettlement of slum dwellings along the existing state program does not quite fit. But the decision from the Ministry of construction there still. The funding mechanism was not developed.

— So now this is a question for the Ministry of the Chelyabinsk region?

— Yes, the Ministry of construction in 2019 this program is not running, thus no funding. For the area this is an exorbitant amount, because it is necessary to relocate 21 families. The price is 28-29 million. We are talking about housing in Sochi is equivalent to what they have now. If the issue is comprehensive, we are without a government of the Chelyabinsk region nothing. All documents that are necessary, we passed to the Ministry of construction last year. Need a decision in principle on the mechanism of resettlement and financial support.

Why not resettle the village in the existing program of resettlement from shabby and emergency housing?

— We have a list, a queue — about 15 tenement slum houses need to settle. If you include Uraim and brimstone Key here — that they get to the end of the list, otherwise nothing. For the relocation of the existing emergency Fund for 2020 pledged 31 million rubles, 2021 — 36 million rubles. But this money is not enough even for the moving of these houses in full.

— What kind of village — Uraim and brimstone Key, and why they were in such a state?

— A former train station. There are all the shops, the infrastructure existed at the expense of the sur and maintained road. Then the message stopped and the railroad just gave up. They didn’t pass it to anyone. In 2012, Uraine we have power lines snapped. People three days were without light, and the way nothing. We have an emergency reconnect. We have a village Tale in Shamakhi settlement is the part which also applies to rail. There’s a lot of problems with network maintenance, wells, no one to serve them does not want. It’s a legacy of Railways, which we have. Railway district of Sochi — the same thing.

— When the road quit?

— Passenger traffic for seven years does not exist. Before that everything was fine. Most importantly — the residents of these settlements were able to take a train and go to Chrysostom, for example, or somewhere else. Then it did not. Three years ago, stopped in the freight traffic. And quit altogether.

— You can at least try to solve the problem of 90-year-old grandmother and her son more quickly?

Locally we last Teksler proposed to solve it. We have two Dorm rooms, we are ready to renovate in the next two to three weeks and temporarily they are there to provide housing. But the fact is that until the media coverage nor the grandmother, nor her son, nor to us, nor the Prosecutor, nor anywhere else was not addressed. Any appeal from Valeevich was not. And roommate was. Another problem is I’m not sure if we’ll put grandma on the third floor of an apartment building, she will be very happy.

The work is, and no one to work

— Clarify the situation for Uraia. You say that everyone at the gathering raised their hands for the relocation and liquidation of the settlement. But how did the fall of last year, the information that the residents forcibly settled due to the fact that the site of the village was going to build mine for the extraction of magnesium ore? Still Uraim wants to leave or not?

Meets joining us, the first Deputy head of the district Yuri Pedashenko:

— There individually for each resident. I was there in autumn, when complained the inhabitant of this village Mistakhov and one Uzhegova. They just don’t want to move. Now, two of them the houses are old, of course, but we cannot say that they emergency. They support their living condition, they have there farm. To the paved roads of Urania four and a half kilometers. The road there is ugly. But to say that it is impossible to pass — not. The ambulance arrives. Mobile cell there is a pay phone. If that happens to call you. The bus stops on the lapel. To say that they are entirely divorced from reality is impossible. Why, I think these women don’t want to leave: because they have everything. Constantly there live four people, occasionally a few more, as someone on the hunt arrives, someone uses as a summer residence.

In General, gathering all expressed their intention to move, including Uzhegova with Mistakooll. But later, the women changed her mind. We talked with Orehovoe informally. I asked her whether the drawing frightened them to live here. And wolves because go there, and bears. She says: these are not afraid, but people fear. Arrive by car, dismantle the way. I ask, then why do you want? She says: “We were dispossessed, and were in Uraine. And we were left without anything, and we made everything from scratch, we are afraid that our state will be dispossessed again.” That is their fear. They are afraid that they will give the worst conditions.

You have to understand that if you settle the village, to settle all and to eliminate settlement. The area had to see this through, but not finished. Mechanism for resettlement no.

There is somewhere in other regions, we looked and searched for counterparts, but it is different everywhere, besides it is not our competence, and Ministry of construction. They should define the legal mechanism. Well psychologically, people there used to live freely: left — space.

Here in the region, there are old men, who have three children. But the children did not perform the obligation to maintain their parents, but rather live at the expense of their pensions. We Nyazepetrovsk General phenomenon: for the past 25 years have the highest unemployment in the Chelyabinsk region, now at 8.8%, but it is impossible to find utility workers, bus drivers, tractor drivers. People don’t have the desire to retrain. They do not set tasks: help I want to work and get some skills. They live at the expense of the parents. Even the employment service of our territory can not understand.

— What works in the city and provides jobs?

— Yes, of course, is the crane plant, SPS “VTB”, it is a branch of MUP “Vodokanal” Ekaterinburg, was once a significant proportion of railway workers. But three or four years ago nyazepetrovsky stretch of Railways eliminated, the freight trains go there once in two weeks. And there was a large locomotive depot, a distance of communication, electricity. It was hundreds of jobs with decent salaries. Was the same Ballast quarry, which extracted sand for filling paths to the 90-ies. Then the Railways all closed.

— And yet: please clarify the story of Goku and company “leks-elect”. Did because of the construction to settle and demolish Uraim?

— No one to bear it was not going! In 2015 the project for the development of this frozen land, because there is no strategic investor. The ore that we have, were not interesting. Four billion tons of ore proven. License owns “leks-elect”. Uraim in this structure was just not for resettlement, and to increase housing construction. We are in 2013, with regard to these plans, adjusted the General plan of Sochi. It envisaged the growth of the village Uraim to two and a half thousand people. There would have been housing for workers, management of MCC. With this was associated the rumors about the demolition of houses, since then everywhere in that area were surveyors, that the inhabitants thought.

— And how would you assess the possibility of Mining here?

— For the area it would be a great prospect for the future. But everything is frozen. Nothing. Investor no.

“As long as there are people, must be infrastructure”

Say goodbye to the leaders of the area and go to the Prosecutor’s office — new building on the banks of the river. The Prosecutor Evgeny Michurin previously versed in the history of Uranium, and shortly before our visit was my grandmother rasida:

— On the citizen Valeyeva is checked according to information in the media, the information requested in the administration. Our position is that of Sulphur, the Key is locality, it has residents. And no matter how many of them there lives, even three people, they should be provided with all necessary infrastructure: roads, electricity, heating and so on. It all and check it out. It is premature to talk about violations. I spoke with the grandmother, her son, a neighbor. Yes, the village has fallen into disrepair, others more on their own initiative left. There are those who are not able to leave. If it is determined the existence of violations, take action. If you need urgent resettlement grandmother can go to court with the claim to administration.

— Complains that the pensioner?

— Grandma’s complaining of hard living conditions, taking into account age and the upcoming winter period. At the same time her son against giving apartments. According to preliminary data, he wants a private house.

— Installed, promised them resettlement, or still not?

— With regard to the settlement. Indeed, a few years ago had a Commission Dubrovsky about it. Then nobody recollected about the project, which I think is generally correct, because to keep these towns are actually impractical and expensive, and people need to live in comfort. No one since 2017 haven’t thought about this proposed program has not yet started questions uraim village — one of the residents written complaint that they want to settle illegally. And who raised the noise — is unclear.

Then, during the inspection it was found that even in 2015, the documents on the recognition of the houses of Urania slum. It was found that a number of people really want to move, signed the documents, others were not confirmed, they were against the move. In their houses the decision on the recognition of emergency in our performance cancelled. Our position is what: in the interests of citizens and within the law. If people want to live — let them live, want to move is their desire. Interestingly, the residents quite a lot of relatives, but none of them not want to pick.

— But it was not such that the town will carry out Mining?

— No, in the past year, “Lex-Elekta” even the development license has expired. In 2015 there are all frozen.

— In General, the district in General how many appeals, complaints, problems?

— The city has a relatively low activity. The level of the population approaching retirement. For the same grandmother Rashid did not have any complaints earlier. Would — measures would be adopted sooner. Crane factory work, salary paid. The branch here has a railway, but does not actually work. There is a railway area — there was station, school, hospital departmental. Then the object is gradually transferred to the municipality. But such things where people are not interested in who they are and whose they are, and so it happened. No documents, no nothing. The district is subsidized, the budget is not enough, there are many problems. Try to solve it.

Next week in Nyazepetrovsk was going to bring the acting Governor Alexey Texter. But they say that now the plans he changed.

Grandma Rashid wants that anniversary, 90th anniversary, August 2, will meet in their new home. And her sister Raghida for the holiday already, even bought a new dress.

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