Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Ministry of Ecology of Uzbekistan has limited the powers of the Tashkent City Ecology Department until 1 February due to the ongoing cutting down of trees. An internal audit has been ordered against the head of the department.

The decision was made due to the fact that “the requirements of the moratorium [on tree cutting] are not fully observed in the capital; residents receive a large number of complaints about tree cutting; permission to cut down or replant trees is repeatedly issued without complying with the law.”

Until February, permission to cut down or replant trees in Tashkent will be issued only in agreement with the relevant department of the ministry.

By order of the Minister of Ecology, an internal audit was ordered against the head of the capital’s department, Farkhod Dekhkanov, and therefore he was suspended from 30 December to 1 February.

During the internal audit, the activities of managers and employees of all structural divisions of the Tashkent City Ecology Department will be studied, as well as the legality and validity of permits issued by the department for cutting down trees and shrubs on land plots not included in the state forest fund in the period 2021-2023.

The ministry cites one of the latest cases of damage to a perennial tree - an oak in Yunusabad district. The study showed that the oak tree was transplanted to Urtachirchik district of Tashkent region by Max Processing without complying with the relevant agrotechnical requirements. 

The Tashkent prosecutor’s office opened a criminal case against the company’s employees and other persons under Part 2 of Article 198 (damage or destruction of crops, forests, trees or other plants, causing major damage) and Article 229 (arbitrariness) of the Criminal Code.

In September 2022, Farkhod Dekhkanov was detained in the case of cutting down trees in Chilanzar and Uchtepa districts, but was released the next day.