Following reports of air pollution emanating from a cotton ginning factory, the head of the enterprise responsible has been fined by the authorities, the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan reported. The factory, owned by the "Mirzachol Agroklaster Group" (MCHJ) located in the Mirzachol district of Jizzakh region, came under scrutiny after concerns were raised on social media platforms regarding dust emissions.
The Department of Ecology of Jizzakh region initiated an investigation into the matter upon receiving the reports. Subsequently, a series of orders were issued by the Regional Ecology Department, including Order No. 03/17-6 on January 26, 2024, Order No. 03/17-9 on January 30, and Order No. 01 on March 29, 2024. Additionally, warning letters No. 17-24 were issued to the business entity in question.
Further action was taken when an administrative report was filed against the head of MCHJ for the violation outlined in Article 197 Clause 6 of the Code of Administrative Responsibility. This report was promptly forwarded to the Mirzachol district court to initiate criminal proceedings.
Following due process, the court, in its decision numbered 3-1310-2401/36, levied an administrative fine against the head of the enterprise. The fine, totaling three times the basic calculation amount (BCA), serves as a stern reminder of the consequences of environmental violations.
Earlier, Angren IES (Angren thermal power plant) also faced scrutiny from the Tashkent regional department of the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change due to the adverse effects it caused on the atmosphere. With a total compensation amounting to UZS 533.7mn ($42,424) imposed for environmental damages, the power plant underwent an extensive inspection to assess its environmental impact, particularly focusing on atmospheric emissions.
Analytical samples were gathered from various points within the facility during the inspection, revealing concerning levels of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide emissions that exceeded permissible limits significantly. Carbon monoxide levels in source 1 exceeded the standard by 4.37 times, while nitrogen oxide levels in both source 1 and source 3 surpassed the norm by 7.68 and 15.24 times, respectively.
In response, authorities took firm action, imposing an additional compensation payment of UZS 140.8mn ($11,192) for surpassing atmospheric emission standards during the 4th quarter of 2023 and January-February 2024. Moreover, discrepancies in previous compensation calculations were identified, particularly regarding the inadequate consideration of the efficiency of the enterprise's dust and gas cleaning equipment. This led to a reassessment, resulting in the total compensation amount of UZS 533.7mn ($42,424) for the harm inflicted upon the atmosphere.
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