Ministerial Decree No. 197 on approval of the Charter of state expertise and exploitation of enterprises and facilities affecting the water quality adversely.

This Decree regulates land allocation for construction, design and exploitation of facilities affecting the water quality directly or indirectly, as well as the public authorities carrying out state control over them. This Decree aims at protecting water resources from chemical, bacteriological, radioactive, mechanical, thermal and magnetic pollution and also disposal and neutralization of wastewater according to the optimal scheme. This Decree states that the Azerbaijan Amelioration and Water Management Open Joint Stock Company, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Emergency Situations shall carry out state control over surface water resources. Furthermore, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Emergency Situations shall carry out state control over groundwater resources in conjunction with the relevant local authorities and private owners, if required also with land administration, port administration, veterinary services and sanitary authority. This Decree sets out provisions on (i) construction of facilities affecting the Caspian basins adversely, (ii) permit for land allocation for the construction of the facilities affecting the water quality adversely, (iii) approval of the construction project and rules for state expertise, and (iv) approval of exploitation of these facilities.