Unlicensed Extraction of Inert Materials. Zergers River. Uzgen District.
Illegal extraction is taking place on the Zerger River in the Uzgen district, where local residents use sand and gravel material for their construction projects or private homes. Unfortunately, there is no perfected methodology that allows for an accurate assessment of the damage caused to the environment by illegal extraction. However, this does not mean that the damage is insignificant, as the extraction of gravel and sand mixtures from the river disrupts the riverbed, creates pits, and if extraction occurs in fields or forests, it leads to erosion and ravine formation, which can subsequently result in land loss. The operation of heavy machinery that extracts sand and gravel from riverbeds significantly impacts the food supply for fish.
When excavators work in the riverbed, they stir up sediment—particles of sand and soil. All of this then settles in a thick layer on the bottom, burying benthic organisms and various small crustaceans, which serve as the main food source for fish. Scientists have established that the negative impact of such activities is felt up to 500 meters downstream and can lead to the complete destruction of the fish's food supply.
According to specialists, the penalties for extracting sand and gravel from riverbeds are very small. It is often impossible to reach the organizers of this profitable business. The scheme is simple—an entrepreneur hires an excavator and trucks to extract river sand and gravel, which is considered the best for construction work. A truckload of such sand or gravel costs between 3,000 to 5,000-6,000 soms. One excavator can load up to 40 trucks in a day. The profit generated is enormous compared to our fines. Moreover, entrepreneurs do not pay taxes to anyone.
This activity leads to the depletion of surface and groundwater, marshland formation, and pollution of protected water zones, destruction of their banks, and alteration of the riverbed.
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