О поселке Тухард

About Tukhard

The Tukhard village of the Karaul rural settlement (Taimyr Dolgano-Nenets municipal district, Krasnoyarsk Territory) was formed in the 70s of the 20th century due to construction of the Messoyakha-Dudinka-Norilsk gas pipeline. The village served initially as a transshipment base for Norilskgazprom. The temporary buildings constructed to accommodate Norilskgazprom employees during the pipeline construction were not dismantled timely. After a while they were occupied by Indigenous Peoples of Taimyr, who had previously led a nomadic lifestyle (reindeer herding). Later, these buildings were officially recognized as a village with the same name as the field Tukhard.

The capital development started in this area in the 1970s. However, the Nenets settlement Kisly Cape was located here long before this time, which means that the area was known and used by Indigenous People for living and traditional economic activities.

At the moment, the village consists of 105 dilapidated objects and structures (beams, "barrels"), adapted and used by Indigenous People as housing facilities. Despite the fact that these objects were not built for permanent residence, they have the legal status of real estate objects and their owners reside here on the social housing basis. The buildings are in an unsatisfactory condition, and most of them are in emergency. Heat and water supply networks, sewerage systems and electrical networks of these residential buildings are in the same condition. Built as temporary, these objects cannot be repaired. According to preliminary data, about 350 people live in the village permanently, more than 1,000 people have a household registration in the village, and most of them have a nomadic, traditional way of life, live in the tundra and have no housing in the village. Despite this, reindeer herders periodically visit Tukhard, having close ties with the settlement, staying with local residents - relatives and friends, using the village to sell reindeer products, and also using the helicopter airport for travel to other settlements.

In accordance with the Russian legislation requirements and with the order of the prosecutor's office, a Sanitary Protection Zone will be established around the industrial infrastructure in 2022, within which people cannot reside. In this regard and to follow the Russian legislation, the company as an owner of the industrial infrastructure undertakes obligations to relocate the residents of Tukhard village.

Many residents of Tukhard village are representatives of Indigenous small-numbered people of the North. They are legally guaranteed additional rights and preferences in order to protect and preserve their language, culture and traditional way of life. Moreover, Russia and other UN member states approved in 2014 the final document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, held in the format of a high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly. The final document underlines the commitment of states to achieve the goals of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This international document is fundamental to the rights of Indigenous Peoples, it establishes the need to obtain free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples in cases of their involuntary resettlement.

In this regard, when preparing the resettlement program for the village of Tukhard, it is necessary to consider provisions of the Russian legislation on Indigenous Peoples, as well as international standards in the field of Indigenous Peoples’ rights and the company's obligations to build trust and long-term relationships with Indigenous Peoples. These obligations, including those stipulated by the international certification of the International Council on Mines and Metals (ICMM), were taken by the company on a voluntary basis and with the aim for sustainable development of Indigenous Peoples. By preparing the Tukhard resettlement project, the company decided to follow the procedure for obtaining free, prior and informed consent in accordance with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.