Two cases of illegal sand and gravel mining from the Kashkadarya River in the Kashkadarya region have been uncovered, causing over 41.5 billion Uzbekistani soms worth of damage to the environment, as reported by the Ministry of Ecology, Environment Protection, and Climate Change of Uzbekistan.
The violations were identified during a raid conducted by ministry officials in collaboration with the prosecutor's office, the state institution "Safe River" under the ministry, and the Kashkadarya Region Ecology Department.
It was found that an individual, F.K., unlawfully extracted natural sand from the protected riverbank area using a Doosan Solar excavator and KamAZ truck for personal gain, resulting in over 19.4 billion soms worth of damage to the environment.
The statement highlighted that the same individual had previously faced legal action for illegal sand and gravel extraction.
On the same site, another individual, R.K., illegally mined sand and gravel with a Shacman excavator and KamAZ truck, causing over 22.1 billion soms worth of environmental damage. The relevant documents have been submitted to the General Prosecutor's Office of Uzbekistan for legal assessment and accountability.
The equipment has been impounded, and it is worth noting that a perpetual moratorium on non-metallic mineral extraction in the riverbeds of various rivers in Uzbekistan has been in effect since May 1st. The right to extract sand and gravel materials in riverbeds, riverbanks, and water protection zones will be exclusively granted through the E-Auksion electronic trading platform.
