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Uzbek Forum Looks at Environmental Safety in Fergana Valley

Posted on: Saturday, 5 November 2005, 12:00 CST

Excerpt from report by Uzbek newspaper Adolat on 5 November

An international conference entitled "Fergana Valley: regional problems of environmental safety" has been held in [the eastern Uzbek town of] Fargona. It was attended by senators, representatives from the State Committee for Nature Protection, the State Hydrometeorological Service, the Health Ministry, and experts from the United Nations Environment Programme, as well as representatives from the Russian, Slovakian, Azerbaijani, Italian and Iranian embassies in our country.

The conference discussed problems of environmental safety in the region, in particular, soil erosion, atmospheric pollution, and ways of improving water resources and rendering the hazardous waste harmless.

The agenda also included the issues of burying waste, ensuring biological diversity and preserving forests, as well as the rational use of pastures. It was said that the densely populated Fergana Valley was a region where landslides, floods and other natural disasters took place relatively more often. It was also noted that a lot of work was being done to ensure environmental safety in this region and to improve environmental protection. The conference stressed the need to make efforts in this area on the basis of joint programmes.

[Passage omitted: Recommendations were drawn up for NGOs]

Source: BBC Monitoring Central Asia

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