District governor’s authority reached the tandoor: ovens in Namangan demolished with somsas inside (video)

In Chust district of Namangan region, tandoor ovens belonging to an entrepreneur who had been operating legally in a rural area and providing jobs for 20 people were demolished, reportedly on the order of district governor Baxtiyor Salimjonov.

According to the entrepreneur, no official explanation was provided for the demolition. Representatives of the local administration arrived and stated only that the action was carried out on the governor’s instruction. No questions were raised regarding the availability of documents, the legality of the activity, or the reasons why the business was operating at that location.

He also said that he is registered as an individual entrepreneur and employs 20 workers.

“We had provided jobs for 20 people, including individuals who have lost their breadwinner and people with disabilities. Now they are also left unemployed. Representatives of the district administration came, said there was an order to demolish the site, and carried it out. Even our somsas were left inside the tandoor ovens,” the entrepreneur said.

After videos posted by the samosa vendor spread on social media, the Chust district administration issued an official statement on the incident. The administration denied that the entrepreneur had valid documentation.

According to the statement, a tandoor bakery and an adjacent kitchen building located along a sharp turn on the D-105 Fergana Ring Road, within the Chustnon–Do‘stlarobod neighborhood, had been operating without any official documents or special construction permits. The site was allegedly being used as a samosa bakery illegally.

“The area in question falls within the protection zone of the D-105 highway, where light or capital construction is prohibited,” the statement said.

In addition, the district administration claimed that, in order to ensure the safety of pedestrians and drivers, responsible agencies had conducted explanatory work and issued warnings, after which the tandoor facility was dismantled by the citizen himself. The entrepreneur, however, insists that no explanations were given.

“The Chust district administration and relevant organizations explained that there would be no obstacles to the citizen conducting lawful business activity and proposed several options for establishing a somsa bakery in compliance with regulatory legal requirements,” the statement said.

It is worth recalling that earlier, in Shahrixon district of Andijan region, district governor Hikmatillo Dadaxonov ordered the demolition of tandoor ovens during an environmental raid. He was later issued a disciplinary reprimand for that action.