Seven inspectors of the Bukhara province environmental protection department were awarded the Nature’s Protector breastplate for their courage and dedication in protecting nature, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said.
On July 15, inspectors of the department conducted a raid in the Safron desert massif of the Peshku district.
During the raid, the inspectors saw individuals illegally cutting down saxaul plants at the desert massif and loading it onto ZIL truck and driving along the internal road of the desert. They pursued the truck with a vehicle belonging to the department.
Later, the unknown men, armed with various types of cold weapons (bats, fittings, iron pipes), beat and smashed the department's car, and insulted and beat the inspectors, inflicting serious injuries (one had a broken leg).
