The unified time zone in Kazakhstan was discussed in the Central Communications Service
Today at the round table of the Central Communications Service under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan scientists, a deputy of the Majilis of the Republic of Kazakhstan and representatives of government agencies spoke about the benefits of a single time zone in Kazakhstan.
Recall that last week Kazakhstani scientists and experts at the final meeting of the interdepartmental working group on the calculation of time in Kazakhstan proposed to establish a single time zone in the country.
Currently, there are two time zones in Kazakhstan - UTC+5 and UTC+6. Most of the country's territory, with the exception of the western regions, is subject to the UTC+6 time zone.
However, according to scientists, the current time zone UTC+6 does not correspond to the natural solar time, which negatively affects biological rhythms and human health. Experts propose a variant, according to which in regions and cities, where the capital time is applied, the clocks will be transferred one hour back (UTC+5). Thus, a single standard time will be established throughout the territory of Kazakhstan.
Majilis deputy Abil Erkin today at the CCS briefing voiced the pros of such changes.
«Residents of Astana, Almaty, Shymkent and Kostanay, we will move the hands back an hour, and as a result, we will wake up an hour later. We will not touch the western regions»,- he said.
According to Bolat Nurkhozhaev, an expert in applied chronobiology, scientific consensus confirms that it is best to use permanent time zones that are as close to sun time as possible to maintain health. In light of this, the transition to a uniform UTC+5 time across Kazakhstan is seen as the most optimal solution, supported by research institutes and fellow scientists.
Кроме того, учеными проведен анализ международного опыта. Например, в 175 странах мира применяется единый часовой пояс. Только 22 государства проживают в более чем одном часовом поясе.
According to Kureish Khamchiev, head of the Department of Normal Physiology at «Astana» Medical University, outrunning the natural course of time contributes to the emergence of chronic fatigue and diseases.
«Desynchronosis, what is now happening in many regions, that is, the mismatch of biological rhythms, is the cause of prolonged increased fatigue, depression, insomnia, reduced efficiency. All these are risk factors for cardiovascular, cancer and other diseases. Circadian or biological rhythms are an integral part of our lives and it is extremely difficult to resist these circadian stresses. Therefore, it is necessary to synchronize the natural rhythms of the population of the entire republic», – he said.
Experts also emphasize that, in addition to the positive impact on health, the introduction of a single time zone will help overcome time differences between residents of different regions of the country. This will improve the coordination of transport and other communications, create favorable conditions for business, and enhance interaction between government agencies and emergency services.
For reference:
The working group was established in February this year in connection with repeated requests of Kazakhstanis to switch to the most favorable time zone. During the year, Kazakhstani scientists and experts from various industries studied the issue of establishing a single time zone on the territory of Kazakhstan.
The working group included scientists of «Astrophysical Institute named after F.G.Fesenkov», «Institute of Genetics and Physiology», «Institute of Geography and Water Security», «Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry named after M.A. Aitkhozhin», «Kazakh Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology», as well as experts, public figures, members of the Parliament of Kazakhstan and representatives of government agencies.