A special commission overseeing air quality in Tashkent inspected 1,449 greenhouses across the city and its suburbs from November 24–28. 67 facilities were closed for violations, while 403 owners received administrative fines, and 19 were issued technical requirements to connect to natural gas.
Monitoring indicates a noticeable improvement in air quality: PM2.5 levels fell from 171 µg/m³ on November 24 to 97 µg/m³ on November 28. However, this remains well above WHO limits (15 µg/m³ daily, 5 µg/m³ annually).
Earlier inspections in mid-November, before the commission was formed, had already led to the temporary suspension of 106 greenhouses and administrative penalties for 58 owners, following joint raids with prosecutors.
Air quality in Tashkent typically deteriorates in winter, largely due to greenhouses using solid fuels for heating. The closures are part of a broader effort to transition greenhouse operations to natural gas and enforce filtration requirements.
Source: fergana.agency
