29.03.2024

On March 29, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a meeting on implementing the “Yashil Makon” (‘Green Space’) project and improving waste management.

As part of the project, 125 million seedlings are planned to be planted in the spring of this year. In the regions, work has begun on creating parks, planting trees along roads in ten rows. The progress of work in the Fergana, Andijan, Bukhara, Kashkadarya and Namangan regions is called exemplary.

However, in most regions and districts, land plots for tree planting have not been identified yet, as well as the funds for irrigation and seedlings have not been allocated.

In this regard, yesterday the Cabinet of Ministers critically reviewed this issue. As a result, the disciplinary sanctions were applied against to 28 officials – regional and district khokims (‘governors’), their deputies and the heads of organizations of the system.

Not all ministries and departments take a responsible approach to landscaping. For example, the Ministry of Defense has established a park on 100 hectares, the Ministry of Digital Technologies and the Ministry of Mining and Geology on 65 hectares. However, tree planting has not been completed on the lands allocated by the Ministry of Energy and Transport. A lot of land remains unused along roads and railways, along rivers and canals, near industrial enterprises and gas stations.

In general, there is a lack of initiative and awareness-raising on mass tree planting. It is emphasized that if state organizations, local kengashes, Eco-parties and other associations, as well as makhallas actively participate in the process, many parks can be established.

The following tasks and new initiatives within the framework of the “Yashil Makon” (‘Green Space’) project were discussed at the meeting.

Many of our compatriots want to plant trees and create green areas, but the residents of multi-storey buildings do not have enough land for this. In this context, an initiative has been launched in the Tashkent region based on the experience of South Korea, according to which land from the fund of districts is transferred to landscaping departments for 30 years. At the expense of the local budget, a drip irrigation system is being introduced, the land is being prepared for planting, after which all interested residents are invited to plant trees. Each tree is marked with the name of the person who planted it. An employee of the Department of Landscaping is assigned to take care of the trees.

The President instructed to implement this experience in all areas.

There are 9,452 mahallas in our country, 39 thousand multi-storey buildings in cities. It was emphasized that makhalla activists and management service companies should take an active part in tree planting.

There is a system in place whereby land along roads and canals is provided to interested parties on the basis of a direct contract for 10 years with an obligation to plant trees in five rows. It allows you to create many new forest plantations in the current season.

Tashkent also successfully applies the experience of increasing green areas. The Urban Planning Council requires that at least 30% of the territory be allocated for tree planting in the new construction projects, even specifying which types of seedlings should be used. The facility can be put into operation only after this condition is met.

The Ministry of Construction was instructed to extend this practice to all regions, including the obligation to plant trees in urban planning standards and licensing requirements.

In particular, it was determined that this year, as part of the construction of 2.5 thousand multi-storey buildings on 30% of the adjacent territory and on at least a hectare, green alleys should be organized in each of the 38 New Uzbekistan massifs.

The Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change has been tasked with organizing 444 green gardens and 160 public parks on the ground, as well as launching "My Garden"project.

The responsible officials provided information on plans to create green zones along fields, around large enterprises and industrial zones.

The practice of free delivery of seedlings to social institutions will continue, as well as this year more than 4 million seedlings will be distributed to them.

The issues of organizing a waste management system based on the new approaches were discussed at the meeting.

As it was noted, a completely new system of landscaping and cleanliness will be introduced in the regions now. Starting from May 1, in two districts of each region, the functions of landscaping departments will be transferred to private partners specializing in waste management on an experimental basis.

As part of this initiative, the entrepreneurs will be engaged in planting trees and flowers, caring for them, cleaning canals, lighting streets, and removing waste. The funds allocated annually from the budget to the landscaping departments will be allocated to these enterprises now.

If the experiment proves to be effective, it will be extended to all districts and cities starting in 2025.

There will be a separate system for Tashkent. Starting from April 15, the tasks of the city's district landscaping departments for street cleaning and road maintenance will be put up for auction and transferred to private partners.

A new system for regulating landfills and recycling will also be introduced. In each region, 3-4 conveniently located landfills will be converted into special eco-industrial zones for the implementation of recycling projects, and remaining ones will be used as temporary sites for waste collection and transshipment.

The landfills that have spent their life will be closed. Poplars, mulberries, maples, and elm trees will be planted around them, and green belts will be created.

Payment discipline is also needed to improve waste management services. In this regard, a newеprocedure will be introduced, according to which the" seven makhallas " will be given the right not to take into account non-existent debts for services not actually rendered on their territory. It will help prevent the unfair practice of recording accounts receivable for services that have not been rendered.

A system will be introduced to encourage residents of apartment buildings to sort waste before disposing of it. As part of this system, special garbage bags will be provided free of charge at the expense of the Ecology Fund, and residents will divide waste into categories and deliver it to collection points. Entrepreneurs will buy recyclable waste from the population.

At the first stage, this system will be launched in Tashkent, Andijan, Bukhara, Termez, Angren and the Tashkent region.

The reports of responsible officials were heard at the meeting.