Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 14 December, a meeting of the Committee on the Development of the Aral Sea Region and Ecology was held, at which several laws were considered that are planned to be included in the agenda of the next meeting of the Senate.

Among them is the Law “On the State Budget of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2024”.

As noted, in 2024, the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change plans to allocate 883.2 billion soums from the State Budget to implement development programs aimed at ensuring environmental sustainability. Detailed information about this was heard from senior officials of the relevant ministries and departments.

After this, the senators settled on the Law “On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan.”

Despite systemic measures to preserve trees, expand and preserve green spaces in the country, cases of their damage are becoming more frequent.

The rapid expansion of the scale of industry, production, and construction requires further improvement of mechanisms for reducing negative environmental pressure on populated areas.

Based on the above, the Law introduces amendments and additions to the Code of Administrative Responsibility, as well as to the Law “On the Protection and Use of Flora”.

In particular, the fine established for illegal cutting, damage, destruction or replanting of trees, shrubs and other plants is increased fivefold. The fine for such an offense increases for citizens from 25 to 50 sizes of basic estimated value, and for officials - from 50 to 75 sizes of basic estimated value.

If this offense is repeated within a year, the fine for citizens is increased from 50 to 75 sizes of basic estimated value, and for officials - from 75 to 100 sizes of basic estimated value, or the offender is subject to an administrative arrest for up to fifteen days.

Now, for illegal logging and destruction of valuable species of trees and shrubs that are not included in the state forest fund, financial sanctions in the amount of up to 300 sizes of basic estimated value are applied to legal entities.

Instead of illegally cutting down each tree, it is planned to plant at least one hundred bush tree seedlings at a cost and care for them for three years.

It was noted that the adoption of the Law serves to reliably protect flora, expand green spaces, increase the responsibility of organizations developing project documentation for construction and repairs, as well as further strengthen the prevention of crime and state environmental control.

Also at the meeting of the Committee, information was heard from the Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change on ongoing activities to protect atmospheric air and plant green areas in order to prevent climate change.

During the hearing, along with the positive work done in the system, attention was also paid to some of the problems and shortcomings that exist in this area.

In particular, the amount of pollutants released into the atmosphere has increased by almost 21% over the past decade, currently averaging 900,000 tons per year. The cleaning efficiency of 60% of the dust and gas cleaning plants available at enterprises, which number more than 6 thousand, averages 86.5%.

Those responsible for caring for 1 million 800 thousand seedlings planted in the spring season as part of the Yashil Makon project are not assigned. In areas where there are no irrigation systems, 7.3 million bush seedlings were planted. Work to protect trees from diseases and pests is insufficiently organized.

The senators, in turn, gave instructions and recommendations on determining the location and number of trees, as well as on creating an electronic map, creating “green shields” around cities, industrial enterprises and highways, transferring public transport, especially diesel, to environmentally friendly energy sources, reproduction of environmentally friendly vehicles.

Based on the results of the meeting, appropriate decisions of the Committee were adopted on all issues considered.