Warning: Unpaid Waste Fees Could Result in Electricity Restrictions, Says Ministry of Ecology
Ministry of Ecology Launches Campaign to Recover Unpaid Waste Management Fees
The Ministry of Ecology in Uzbekistan has taken a significant step towards recovering unpaid waste management fees, which have reached a shocking total of 585 billion UZS. In an effort to tackle this issue, SMS notifications have been sent out to subscribers in regional centers who are overdue on payments for six months or more.
One of the measures being implemented by the Ministry is a new system where subscribers with outstanding waste service payments may face limitations on their electricity access. These notifications are being sent through the short code of Regional Power Grids JSC, warning residents that failure to pay their waste management fees will result in restrictions on electricity usage until the debt is settled.
The Ministry’s press service has revealed that many citizens have been avoiding payment for waste collection services due to reasons such as believing that waste is not generated from their households, burned, or buried. This widespread refusal or delay in payments has led to the accumulation of the substantial debt for sanitation services.
“In the first phase of our initiative to improve payment discipline, SMS notifications were sent to residents of regional centers who have six months of unpaid waste service fees. Additionally, subscribers who have made full advance payments for 2024 will be exempt from any tariff increases during the year,” stated the Ministry.
Starting from April 1, 2024, all utility services, including waste collection, will be subjected to VAT in accordance with new legislation. This means that the service tariffs will now include this tax, and citizens have been informed that waste service fees will be calculated with VAT from this date onwards.
The Ministry has also set up a system for subscribers to dispute the amount indicated in the SMS notifications. They can file verbal complaints by calling the short number 1205.
This initiative aligns with a presidential decree aimed at enhancing the waste management system and reducing its negative environmental impact. Some key measures from the decree include the implementation of restrictions on electricity payments for waste service debts of six months or more in Tashkent, Nukus, and regional centers starting from June 1, 2024. This policy will expand to all regions for debts of three months or more from November 1, 2024, and from January 1, 2025, electricity payments will be limited for debts of just one month in all regions.
