Three persons suspected of illegal cutting of 58 ornamental and fruit trees were arrested in the Chilanzar district of Tashkent city, Khayot Shamsutdinov, head of the PGO information service reported.

Allegedly, the damage of 797.7 million soums caused to the flora was fully covered by the head of the construction organization engaged in felling trees.

Also, on September 9, the head of the Ecology Department of Tashkent city F.D. was detained as a person suspected of committing the crime provided for in Paragraph a of Article 205-2 (abuse of official power, causing extreme harm) of the Criminal Code. 

“F.D. worked as the head of the Ecology and Environmental Protection Department of the Tashkent city, and whilst his main task was to control the implementation of legislative requirements related to ecology and environmental protection, he allegedly abused his authority and allowed the removal of trees, created the conditions for their destruction,” the Prosecutor General’s Office said.

Earlier, it was reported that 58 ornamental and fruit trees were illegally cut by “Dream house stroy” LLC organization in Chilanzar district.

A criminal case was initiated against officials of the construction organization under Article 198 (damage or destruction of crops, forests, trees or other plants) of the Criminal Code.