Control over groundwater will be intensified: measures will be taken against those who drill illegal wells

During the next plenary session of the Senate of the Republic of Uzbekistan, an important law was approved regarding amendments and additions to certain legislative documents of the country. This was reported by the Senate press service.

The main goal of adopting the law is to ensure the effective use of groundwater resources, to protect them, and to strengthen control in this area. Senators noted that recently the volume of groundwater use for irrigation and other purposes has significantly increased. At the same time, cases of drilling wells without permission and using groundwater without control and accounting are becoming more frequent.

The adopted law will introduce a new rule to the existing law on "Licensing, permitting, and notification procedures." According to this, instead of a separate permit for drilling a well for groundwater, a permit for the activity of drilling wells for groundwater will be introduced.

According to this procedure, henceforth, business entities or individuals wishing to drill a well for the purpose of using groundwater will be required to obtain permission from the relevant state authorities for this activity.

Another important change being introduced to the legislation pertains to the Tax Code, which states that if users of groundwater do not use special accounting devices when extracting water, they will be charged a tax payment at five times the established rate.

The implementation of such measures is emphasized as an important step in preserving groundwater resources, protecting the environment, and curbing illegal use of water resources. During discussions on the draft law, senators and specialists particularly noted that the rational and responsible use of groundwater resources is the duty of every citizen, and such changes will serve to ensure the country's water security