Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- President Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with the ongoing work on afforestation of the dried bottom of the Aral Sea.

The solution of this problem depends on the ecological and economic well-being of the people of Karakalpakstan and the vast region as a whole. Once the sea and the rivers flowing into it, agricultural land provided people with work and income. But thoughtless interference with the laws of nature, blocking the watercourses along the Amudarya and Syrdarya led to one of the most serious environmental disasters in the world. The region began to rapidly desertify, and the soil began to saline. The flora and fauna suffered great damage.

In the current era of global warming and reduced precipitation, the chances of saving the Aral Sea are extremely small. The only way out is to preserve what is left, to minimize the impact of the tragedy, to make life easier for people.

The head of our state has repeatedly spoken on this issue at sessions of the UN General Assembly, put forward important proposals at international summits. At the same time, practical work is being carried out with the use of internal capabilities.

From the dried bottom of the Aral Sea, millions of tons of dust and poisonous salts rose and spread far around. During a trip to Muynak in 2018, Shavkat Mirziyoyev set the task of planting salinity-resistant plants at the bottom, taking into account the recommendations of scientists.

Today, the head of state was informed about the work done over the past time.

In recent years, tugai forests with an area of 1,524,000 hectares have been planted on the dry bottom of the sea. In difficult natural conditions, it was possible to plant about 6 thousand tons of seeds of such desert plants as saxaul, buckwheat, kandym, cherkez. More than 4,000 workers and 1,600 pieces of equipment, including aircraft, were involved in the work.

This good and necessary work continues. This year it is planned to afforest another 100,000 hectares. Currently, work is underway on 26,000 hectares, 562 tons of seeds have been harvested. In addition, a 100-hectare nursery is being created.

Here the President talked with ecologists and forestry specialists.

- We have accumulated a lot of experience in creating plantings in such difficult conditions. The purpose of my coming here is to continue this work based on a scientific approach, said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Instructions were given to expand scientific research, create plant varieties that correspond to the soil of the region and increase the area of tugai plantations.

It was instructed to develop a five-year national program for the restoration of the flora and fauna of the Aral Sea region.