Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – From 1 May 2024, an indefinite moratorium on the extraction of non-metallic materials in the beds of the Chirchik, Sanzar, Zarafshan, Naryn, Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya and Syrdarya rivers is introduced.

This is envisaged by Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. UP-14 from 17 January of this year “On measures to streamline the extraction of non-metallic materials in reservoirs.”

According to the decree, business entities are prohibited from mining sand and gravel in the above river beds. It is also prohibited to conclude contracts and issue licenses for the extraction of non-metallic materials in the beds of these rivers. The activities of business entities extracting sand and gravel in the territories declared as a moratorium will now be directed to alternative production sites located in mountainous or foothill areas.

During the moratorium period, the amount of compensation for damage caused to nature as a result of illegal mining of sand and gravel materials increases 10 times.

The Ministry of Environment and its regional divisions regularly conduct raids to combat illegal mining of sand and gravel materials.
Any violation in this direction will be strictly punished.