The Ecoparty has voiced its opposition to the proposed transfer of the Botanical Garden in Uzbekistan to the jurisdiction of the khokimiyat, the local government. The party argues that the garden should be excluded from the government's draft resolution on the management of parks and instead be granted the status of a national park.
Eco-journalist Natalia Shulepina had previously expressed concerns about moving the Botanical Garden from the Academy of Sciences to the khokimiyat. In response, the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan reacted to Shulepina's article, highlighting the potential negative consequences of the transfer.
The draft government resolution, titled "On radical improvement of the system of activity and management of recreation parks," has been made available on an interdepartmental portal to develop and coordinate regulatory legal acts. However, public access to the document has been restricted.
According to the draft resolution, the 65.4-hectare Botanical Garden is slated to be transferred to the newly established state institution, the Directorate of Management of Recreation Parks, under the khokimiyat of the city. Similar directorates are proposed to be created under the Council of Ministers of Karakalpakstan and the khokimiyats of all regions in Uzbekistan. The Ecoparty argues that the Tashkent Botanical Garden, named after Academician F. N. Rusanov of the Institute of Botany, is a scientifically valuable asset that deserves to be protected.
The party's concerns stem from the draft resolution's provision for transferring parkland for commercial activities, such as trade and paid services, and installing attractions. The Ecoparty warns that these activities could harm the unique flora in the Tashkent Botanical Garden, which features plant species gathered from 5 continents.
In response to the proposed transfer, the Eco-Party faction in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, the Uzbek parliament, has submitted a deputy request to the government, seeking clarification and expressing their concerns.
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