Tomsk Prosecutor’s Office Investigates Mystery Crypto Mining Farm  

The prosecutor’s office in Tomsk region has initiated an inspection into a mysterious mining farm at a local water intake facility. This comes after residents of nearby villages raised concerns about incessant noise, prompting an investigation, according to rbc.

After a new gas boiler house was installed at the underground water intake, residents from the villages of Kaidalovka and Timiryazevskoye started filing complaints. The noise was also heard in the neighboring village of Dzerzhinskoye, located 1.5 km away. Initially, Tomskvodokanal, the water utility company, denied having installed any crypto mining equipment. However, Dmitry Putrov, acting deputy mayor of Tomsk, later confirmed that cryptocurrency mining gear was installed as part of commissioning Tomskvodokanal’s gas piston plant. He also assured that noise insulation would be completed by October 10.

Adding a twist to the tale, Alexander Kolosyuk, the chief engineer of Tomskvodokanal, said the mining farm wasn’t related to the water utility company at all. According to him, the land is leased to third parties involved in mining. Meanwhile, he attributed the noise to the gas piston plant, not the crypto mining farm.

The prosecutor’s office will now scrutinize the legality of Tomskvodokanal’s actions, ensuring compliance with sanitary, epidemiological, land, and tax laws. If any violations are discovered, appropriate action will be taken.

The situation brings up questions about the ethical implications of using public utilities for private gain, especially when causing a disturbance to local communities. As cryptocurrency mining continues to penetrate various sectors, such instances prompt a reevaluation of regulations to safeguard public interest.