Control over Erosti waters will be strengthened: action will be taken against those who drill illegal wells

The Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan approved an important law on amendments and additions to some legislative acts of the country at its regular plenary session. The Senate press service reports.

The main goal of adopting the law is to effectively use groundwater resources, protect them, and strengthen control in this area. According to the senators, the volume of groundwater use for irrigation and other purposes has been increasing significantly in recent times. At the same time, cases of drilling wells without permits and uncontrolled and unaccounted use of groundwater are becoming more common.

The adopted law introduces a new rule into the current Law "On Licensing, Permitting and Notification Procedures". According to it, instead of the procedure for issuing a separate permit for drilling a well for groundwater, a procedure for issuing a permit for the drilling of wells for groundwater will be introduced.

According to this procedure, from now on, business entities or individuals wishing to drill a well for the purpose of using groundwater resources will be required to first obtain a permit for this activity from the relevant state agencies.

Another important change introduced into the legislation concerns the Tax Code, according to which, if groundwater users do not use special metering devices when obtaining water, they will be charged a tax payment in the amount of five times the established rate.

It is emphasized that the introduction of such measures will be an important step in preserving groundwater resources, protecting the environment, and curbing illegal use of water resources. During the discussions on the draft law, the senators and experts specifically noted that it is the duty of every citizen to use natural water resources wisely and responsibly, and that such changes serve to ensure the country's water security. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!