Several valuable trees uprooted at Ritz-Carlton construction site in Tashkent despite moratorium

The Tashkent City Department of Ecology and Climate Change confirmed the violation during a raid on February 20. Their findings indicate that out of the 12 uprooted trees, nine were of valuable species protected under a presidential decree that extended the moratorium on tree cutting indefinitely.

Authorities reported that the construction company attempted to obstruct the documentation of the scene by preventing the filming of the uprooted trees. Despite these efforts, environmental officials successfully assessed the impact, estimating the total damage to nature at UZS 351,230,000.

The developer, PD Estates LLC, is a subsidiary of the Azerbaijani conglomerate Pasha Holding. The company is currently spearheading a $200 million project to build a five-star hotel under the prestigious Ritz-Carlton brand.

According to the Unified State Register of Enterprises and Organizations, PD Estates was registered in November 2023 with a charter capital of UZS 251.3 billion. The company is owned by Pasha Development (99%) and Pasha Holding (1%), with Baris Battal listed as the director.

Formal documentation regarding the violation has been finalized. Environmental officials are now preparing to submit the case files to the Prosecutor General’s Office for a full legal assessment and further action against the responsible parties.