Law “On land reclamation”.

This Law determines legal, economic and organizational bases for land reclamation and regulates relations arising in this area. Land reclamation shall be intended a complex of agrotechnical, hydrotechnical, forestry engineering, land clearing, chemical and other reclamation measures aimed at radical improvement of adverse natural (hydrological, soil, agroclimatic) conditions of land with the aim of rational and stable use of land resources. Land reclamation shall be carried out for the following purposes: (a) rational use and protection of water resources; (b) improvement of ameliorative condition of land; (c) increase of fertility and sustainable preservation of land; (d) increase of agricultural production as a result of restoration and stable preservation of soil fertility on agricultural land; (e) involvement of unused and low-productive land into agricultural turnover by carrying out ameliorative measures; (f) protection of land from mudflow and flood waters, wind and water erosion, increase of ground water level; (g) development of new land areas; and (h) ensuring watering of pastures. Land reclamation shall be based on the following principles: (a) state regulation of land reclamation; (b) state accounting of reclamation systems; (c) ensuring environmental safety during reclamation activities; (d) substantiation of reclamation activities; (e) introduction of innovative technologies during construction and operation of reclamation systems; (f) preservation and rational use of land; and (g) protection of rights and legitimate interests of users of melioration systems and other parties. The Law consists of VII Chapters divided into 29 Articles. Chapter I lays down general provisions. Chapter II regards state regulation in the field of land reclamation. Chapter III regards land reclamation. Chapter IV regards ameliorative systems. Chapter V establishes the procedure for the performance of land reclamation. Chapter VI regards registration and inventory of ameliorative systems. Chapter VII lays down final provisions.