Kozu-Baglan River. Eski-Oochu (Kairagach). Extraction of inert materials. Violation of the water protection zone.
In the floodplain of the Kuzu-Baglan River in the Batken region, illegal mining is taking place, as local residents use sand and gravel material for their household constructions or private homes. Unfortunately, there is no perfect methodology to accurately calculate the damage caused to the environment by illegal mining. However, this does not mean that the harm is insignificant, as the extraction of gravel-sand mixtures from the river disrupts the riverbed, creates pits, and if mining occurs in fields or forests, it leads to erosion and gully formation, which can subsequently result in land loss. The operation of heavy machinery that extracts sand and gravel from riverbeds significantly affects 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 thick layers on the bottom, burying benthic organisms and various small crustaceans, which serve as the primary food 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 base.
According to specialists, the penalties for extracting sand and gravel from riverbeds are very small. It is sometimes 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 resulting profit is colossal 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 water protection zones, destruction of their banks, and alteration of the riverbed.
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