The article is based on interviews with residents of the city of Garlyk by the correspondent of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan”.
The town of Garlyk in Lebap velayat was founded in 2011 with quite bright prospects the construction and development of the potassium fertilizer ore mining and refining facility and the cement plant.
None of the major employees, described as powerhouses of domestic manufacturing, managed to operate at full capacity.
The Garlyk mining and refining facility is operating at only 2.3 % of its estimated capacity.
At the cement plant, which had been built by the Turkish company Polimex, only two workshops were built out of the projected three, and one of them was soon disabled.
Before the opening of these facilities, those who found jobs there were provided with an opportunity to purchase apartments for an interest-free 30 year mortgage.
Residential buildings, bank offices, an outpatient clinic, a kindergarten, a school, sports ground, shopping centre, a recreational centre, a post office, a stadium, meat and dairy products processing plants and other objects of infrastructure were built here.
Before the economic slump many considered such conditions to be great luck. Apartments could be purchased at slightly over 200 000 manats (equivalent to about $60 thousand). In order to pay the down payment many families sold cattle, poultry and cars hoping to get settled in a new place.
However, things soon became difficult.About 70% of the cement plant employees were laid off.The majority of those who remained have been sent on unpaid leaves for the past 3 to 4 months.
In the meantime, the banks are still retaining monthly mortgage payments.Property owners contacted the khyakimlik’s office (administration) with the request to demolish the houses and even submitted applications that they would not have any claims for the payments they had already made during these years but the local authorities and banks refuse to terminate the contracts.
Residents were informed that they would be obliged to pay until their loan is fully repaid.
Employees of local enterprises are unable to withdraw salaries which were transferred to their accounts three months ago. Residents are in despair and complain that they have no money to make ends meet.
Garlyk inhabitants made a separate comment about the local hospital and healthcare practitioners.
“The state-of-the-art clinic built here has turned into a bazaar. Doctors have neither equipment nor essential medications. They advise patients to seek medical assistance from healers!”, — the outrageous comments of interlocutors of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan”.
According to eye witnesses, unauthorized people walk around the clinic, including the intensive care department, offering bunches of medicinal herbs which need to be mixed with boiling water and drunk.
Bunches of herbs are sold at 3, 5 and 7 manats.The administration of the outpatient clinic offers the services of the clergy to dying patients.It costs 50 manats to summon a mullah.
Apart from medicinal herbs, knitted socks and dog fat as rheumatism medicine, camel hair belts to treat radiculitis and even protective charms are sold at the clinic.
“There are more vendors than patients in the clinic. They are given access for a fee of 5 manats”,— residents of Garlyk complain.
The tragedy of Garlyk is not unique as similar problems are being observed in other small towns and villages.Unlike Garlyk, which seems to be a potential place of residence and many inhabitants are hoping that the problems related to the Garlyk mining and refining facility will be resolved and their lives will improve, people residing in other remote areas see no prospects.
The villages are becoming deserted as people are moving out in search of jobs, or leaving for good.