Saturday March 12, 2016
Kabul (BNA) The Ministry of Energy and Water to soon began construction work of the 22 water dams in the country’s provinces through using the development funds of the government.
To better administrate the country’s waters, the MoEW has begun construction work on 5 dams, including the Shah oAros dam in Shakardarah district of Kabul, Machalgho dam in Paktia province and three other dams in Herat, Faryab and Ghoor provinces. Abdul Basir Azimi spokesman to Ministry of Energy and Water said that besides construction of 22 dams, the ministry has also taken steps on 5 big projects in the provinces that would help provide water to the hundred thousands of acres of land. According to the ministry official, currently work going on in Salma Dam, which in the upcoming three months, would save around 640 cubic meters of water and would produce around 42 megawatt of electricity as well as would ease water to around 80 thousands of acres of land. “The Shah o Aros water dam in Kabul, Machalgho dam in Paktia, Almar dam in Faryab, Pashdan dam in Herat, PozahLaj dam in Ghoor, Shorabak dam in Badakhshan and detailed studies on Gamberi dam in Kunar and Shah Toot in Kabul has been carried out and would ease people problems in term of water and engery’, Azimi said, adding that Soorobi dam of Kabul, SooriKhula dam in Paktia, Agha Jan dam in Uruzgan, Loora dam in Kandahar and the third phase of Kamal Khan dam which would provide 9.1 megawatt of energy and irrigate 175 thousands of acres of land, would be constructed through the government’s development fund.
Hinting on construction of the 22 new medium water dams outside of the development fund, Azimi said that Paryan dam in Panjshir, Talkhak dam in Parwan, Seerqul dam in Bamyan, Sayed dam in Kunar, DwahMenda dam in Khost, Abtak dam in Logar, Paltoyee dam in Paktia, Shah Abda dam in Samangan, Dahana-e-dara dam in Faryab, Tanga-e-Shadyan dam in Balkh, Khan Abad 2 dam in Kunduz, Borka dam in Jozjan, KhwajahGhar dam in Takhar, Dah SokhtaQala e 2 dam in Sar-e-Pul, Asiaba dam in Ghoor, Bazidkhel dam in Zabul, Mina Lal dam in Daikundi, Kabakan and Terpul dams in Herat and Gultepe dam in Kunduz would constructed through amounts outside of the government’s development funds.
“The medium water dams would cost around 50 million USD and the big projects would cost from 100 to 500 Millions of USD”, spokesperson said, adding that Ministry of Energy and Water working on three strategic axis of water which includes geography of water, water administration, and Hydro politics. The ministry official went on saying that construction of water dams would take long time, adding that the ministry has spoken with donor countries and private sector to have their support for kicking of the projects. Hinting on Trans boundary waters, Abdul Basir Azimi said that their studies reveal in some bordering areas the waters would help provide shared investment opportunities with neighboring countries. For instance according to him, there are shared interests for both Afghanistan and Tajikistan in Amu River and Afghanistan and Pakistan in KunarRiver which can provide investment opportunities for both of the countries. “Considering Afghanistan as the agricultural country where 87 percent of its citizens are involved in agriculture, we need detailed studies on division of water and establishing of investment opportunities, considering the national interest of Afghanistan within a clear framework which will take tens of years and we shouldn’t be in hurry for that”, Azimi added, saying that hurrying in implementation of projects in bordering areas would affection national interest and would bring irreparable loses to the future generation. Shukria Kohistani
