Nine Environmental Control Officials Dismissed in Tashkent Region

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Large-scale personnel clearances have taken place within the environmental control system of the Tashkent region. The deputy head of the regional environmental police (eco-police), along with the heads of eight district and city territorial divisions of the agency, have been dismissed from their posts.

The strict disciplinary measures became known following an expanded meeting chaired by the Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change of Uzbekistan and Head of the Eco-Police, Aziz Abdukhakimov. The main topic on the agenda was critically weak environmental regulation and the unsatisfactory effectiveness of the fight against offenses in the capital region.

During a detailed analysis of the activities of the relevant structures, the general state of the environmental protection system was harshly criticized. The leadership of the Committee noted systematic failures in the oversight of economic entities and a factual lack of monitoring of industrial facilities. Specifically, enterprises were operating en masse in the region without the mandatory environmental expertise conclusion or were illegally located within the water protection zones of rivers.

Particular outrage was caused by the increasing instances of illegal sand and gravel extraction in the bed of the Chirchik River and the regular unauthorized dumping of waste in protected natural areas. The audit revealed numerous cases of negligence and flatly improper execution of official duties by local officials.

Following the investigation, the Main Directorate of Ecology of the Tashkent Region was instructed to eliminate all uncovered deficiencies in the shortest possible time, fundamentally raise the bar for environmental control, and intensify educational work to build an ecological culture among the population.

The agency emphasized that the precedent in the Tashkent region will trigger similar audits across the entire republic. The Committee on Ecology of Karakalpakstan, as well as all regional and city directorates, have been ordered to conduct an immediate internal critical assessment of their work.

The National Committee officially warned that control in the area of environmental protection will be uncompromisingly strengthened throughout the country, and any manifestations of irresponsibility at the local level will lead to immediate dismissal.