Illegal sand mining in Uzbekistan has resulted in over UZS 6bn ($475,826) in environmental damage, according to recent investigations.
The latest control raid, conducted in cooperation with the Department of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change of Kashkadarya Region and the regional Department of Internal Affairs, revealed extensive violations in the Sarbozor area of Qamashi district.
The raid uncovered two major instances of illegal sand extraction from the Kashkadarya Riverbed. In the first case, 1,743.7 cubic meters of natural sand were removed, causing approximately UZS 2.616bn ($207,460) in damage.
The second case involved the extraction of 2,465 cubic meters of sand, resulting in UZS 3.698bn ($293,267) in environmental harm.
Documents related to these violations have been forwarded to the regional prosecutor's office for further investigation, legal assessment, and appropriate action against the perpetrators.
In response to the ongoing environmental crisis, an indefinite moratorium on mining mineral materials from riverbeds, including Chirchik, Sangzor, Zarafshan, Norin, Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya, and Syr Darya rivers, has been in effect since May 1, 2024.
During this period, fines for illegal sand and gravel mining have been increased tenfold to better address and deter environmental damage.
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