Illegal mining detected in Guzar district: Damage to nature estimated at 200 million soums
2026-07-03 10:10:00 / News
During inspections conducted in the Guzar district by the Southern Regional Department of the Inspection for Control of Mining and Geology Sector under the Ministry of Mining and Geology of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a case of unauthorized subsoil use was uncovered. As a result of oversight activities carried out within the "Pakhtazor" MCA, a gross violation of legal requirements by a business entity was identified. This case demonstrates the continuous activity of enforcement measures aimed at protecting natural resources and state interests.
It was established that S.A.I., the head of "O.T.A.O." LLC operating in the district, acted in violation of the requirements of Article 31 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Subsoil" dated October 31, 2024. The management of the enterprise engaged in the unauthorized extraction of non-metallic minerals without holding any valid permit. The illegal excavation activities were carried out continuously from July 14, 2025, until February 27, 2026.
During the investigation, the total volume of illegally extracted sand and gravel mixture was calculated to be 7 048.82 m³. These unlawful actions resulted in substantial material damage to the interests of the state and society, amounting to 200 000 000 soums. The volume of the inflicted damage was evaluated objectively in accordance with the requirements of the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 666 dated November 23, 2022, "On improving the procedure for calculating damage caused to natural objects during illegal extraction of non-metallic materials". Relevant documents regarding the detected violation were formalized and submitted to law enforcement agencies for further legal action.