Three men in the Kashkadarya region have been handed heavy fines after driving their cars—a Nexia, a Cobalt, and a Damas—through a field of wild poppies. The trio was fined a total of 61.8 million soums, or 20.6 million soums each, the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change said.
The incident came to light after the Ekolog.uz Telegram channel posted a video showing the vehicles spinning circles across the blooming landscape in the Kukdala district. Local environmental officials, working alongside the Kashkadarya province police department, identified the drivers and impounded their vehicles.
In addition to the individual fines, the men were ordered to pay a combined 6.592 million soums to cover the environmental damage they caused.
The Committee issued a statement urging to treat the environment with respect and to take responsibility for preserving the nation's natural flora.
