Volume of illegally burned fields revealed

As of June this year, 5,350 hectares of land have been illegally burned across 10 regions of Uzbekistan. This was reported by the Space Research and Technologies Agency “Uzcosmos.”

According to satellite analyses, the distribution of burned areas by region is as follows:

•  Tashkent region — 27 cases, 413.5 hectares
•  Syrdarya region — 32 cases, 341.9 hectares
•  Jizzakh region — 7 cases, 74.9 hectares
•  Bukhara region — 16 cases, 96.3 hectares
•  Andijan region — 248 cases, 2,345.7 hectares
•  Fergana region — 13 cases, 66.2 hectares
•  Namangan region — 3 cases, 36.7 hectares
•  Surkhandarya region — 253 cases, 1,823 hectares
•  Khorezm region — 31 cases, 99.5 hectares
•  Republic of Karakalpakstan — 9 cases, 52 hectares

Urgent reports regarding these cases have been sent to the Prosecutor General’s Office of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, and other relevant agencies.

For reference, the practice of illegally burning straw or cleared farmland in an attempt to quickly and cheaply dispose of agricultural waste is punishable by fines of up to 10 times the basic calculation amount under Part 3 of Article 88 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (Violation of Atmospheric Air Protection Requirements). In cases where significant damage occurs, violators may face criminal liability.

It is worth noting that Uzcosmos, along with the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Ministry of Ecology, had previously warned the public that burning straw in fields is prohibited and violators will be held accountable.