The case was brought by the Kashkadarya regional Department of Ecology and Climate Change, which sought to recover UZS 8.8 billion from the state-owned oil and gas company over alleged environmental damage.
The Business Ombudsman’s Office represented Uzbekneftegaz in the proceedings. According to the office, the court found that environmental inspectors had gone beyond the scope of the inspection and that the calculations supporting most of the claim were not backed by sufficient evidence.
The court also considered the inadmissibility of evidence obtained in violation of legal requirements. It reviewed the Business Ombudsman’s arguments concerning the legality of the inspection and the validity of the compensation amount.
As a result, the court rejected most of the claim and ordered Uzbekneftegaz’s Shurtan unit to pay UZS 676,133.
The dispute followed an inspection conducted in April by the State Environmental Control Inspectorate. Officials reported violations involving atmospheric emissions, equipment used to control dust and gas emissions, wastewater treatment facilities and the disposal of waste. The authorities also reported other breaches of environmental regulations.
The inspection resulted in 16 mandatory orders being issued to the Shurtan Oil and Gas Production Department, along with additional compensation claims. The inspection materials were subsequently submitted to the court for a final decision.
