Environmentalists Criticized the Ministry of Agriculture for the Absence of Helicopters

The Green World movement sharply criticized the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hussein Cavus, saying there had been a serious failure in preparing for the most critical period of the wildfire season. Environmentalists described the minister’s reports about the agency’s full readiness as detached from reality. According to the organization, despite officials’ statements, seasonal staff hiring has still not been completed, fire brigades in several regions remain short of drivers, and the shift system in the field is working with disruptions. In addition, firebreaks have still not been arranged at strategic sites, and dry grass around power poles has not been cleared, even though it has already caused a recent blaze near Tashkent Nature Park.

Activists were particularly outraged by the complete absence of firefighting aviation in the country at the peak of summer risks. The movement stressed that the authorities’ annual promises to purchase equipment have remained stuck at the stage of prolonged negotiations. Public activists reminded that relying on an emergency call for aircraft from Turkey in the event of an incident is a flawed strategy. If a locally based helicopter can take off at the first signs of smoke, foreign aircraft require lengthy approvals and time to fly in. This delay results in the loss of the first thirty minutes, which are decisive for containing the fire and preventing large-scale forest disasters.