Court halts operations of Navoiyazot unit and other plants in Navoi region

According to the Ministry of Ecology, the activities of Navoiyazot JSC and three workshops of Sogda Chemical Plant LLC, located in Karmana district, have been temporarily suspended by court order.

The regional Department of Ecology of Navoi, together with other specialists, inspected category I and II enterprises and lime kilns operating in Navoi city and Karmana district. During monitoring, 22 enterprises were found to be operating in violation of environmental regulations. Based on the findings, measures were taken to suspend their operations, and 25 responsible officials were held administratively liable.

In addition, lawsuits were filed with economic courts to suspend the operations of 22 enterprises and workshops. The Karmana inter-district economic court reviewed 20 of these cases, satisfying 19 of them.

Among them was the decision to temporarily suspend the operations of workshop No. 23 (ammonia) of Navoiyazot JSC. The court also ordered a temporary halt to the activities of three workshops belonging to Sogda Chemical Plant LLC in Karmana district.

During inspections, 92 illegal lime kilns – built using makeshift methods – were identified and fully demolished with the participation of relevant agencies.

It should be recalled that on July 13, 19, 21 and 22, the city of Navoi was covered in thick, pungent smoke that caused coughing and other health problems among residents. Navoiyazot repeatedly stated that its plant was not responsible for the smoke. Video footage from cameras installed at the plant showed that the dusty smoke was in fact coming from factories built on the site of the former electrochemical plant. Initially, the regional Department of Ecology blamed Navoiyazot for the situation, but after the company’s firm denials, the environmental authorities began searching for the actual sources of pollution. Following an investigation, the Ministry of Ecology announced that the operations of more than 20 enterprises polluting the air in the area would be temporarily suspended.