In a meeting of video selectors held on January 29, Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the introduction of a ranking system in Uzbekistan based on the level of air, water, and environmental pollution in each region, the president's press service reports.
Industrial Growth and Environmental Impact
Since 2020, approximately 22,000 new industrial enterprises have been launched in the regions, and nearly 250,000 new houses have been built. However, this rapid industrialization has led to significant environmental challenges. More than 2mn tons of pollutants are released into the atmosphere annually from industrial enterprises and cars. The amount of pollutants in the air is particularly high in regions such as Tashkent, Almalyk, Nurafshan, Akhangaran, Angren, Bekabad, and Quvasoy.
Aging Infrastructure and Lack of Environmental Consideration
Notably, some enterprises in the regions have dust-gas cleaning equipment that has been in use for more than 10 years. While many reliefs and benefits were given to industrial enterprises to “get on their feet”, some enterprises do not prioritize paying taxes or protecting the environment. In most cases, construction projects are being implemented without environmental expertise.
New Measures for Environmental Protection
Starting from April 1, a ranking of each region based on the level of air, water, and environmental pollution will be introduced. The Ministry of Environmental Protection, Ecology, and Climate Change, together with governors and sector heads, has been tasked with developing a master plan for each district and city to improve the local environmental situation.
By the end of the year, it was ordered to announce the ecological rating and ecological passport of regions and industries. It was decided that the governors would address the population according to the results of the ratings.
Upcoming Initiatives
The task was set to start installing automatic air monitoring stations in the cities of Tashkent and Nukus, regional centers, and 20 industrialized districts. By the end of the year, 112 large industrial enterprises and all cement producers need to install modern dust-gas cleaning equipment, replace the old ones, and renew filters in enterprises with a high level of dust emission.
Large construction materials, energy, and metallurgical enterprises will create a “green belt” of 5 hectares and plant a total of 10mn trees. This initiative is part of the country’s broader efforts to mitigate the environmental impact of rapid industrialization and urbanization.
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