DUSHANBE, July 28, 2015, Asia-Plus — Tajik President Emomali Rahmon today morning left for working visit to the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), according to the president’s official website.
Rahmon’s visit to Gorno Badakhshan reportedly started from inaugurating a new bridge near the Surkhsangov area in the Vanj district.
The bridge with load capacity of 100 tons is 145 meters in length and 10.5 meters in width. It has been built with help of Chinese specialist and a total cost of the project is 4.306 million U.S. dollars.
Speaking at the bridge-opening ceremony, Rahmon ordered the ministry of transport to accelerate measures to reopen roads that had been blocked by recent mudslides.
The president reportedly also ordered relevant ministries and agencies to speed up work on developing projects for building new bridges in Gorno Badakhshan.
President Rahmon is also scheduled to visit Darvoz, Rushan, Shugnan and Roshtqala districts as well as the city of Khorog to get acquainted with the current socioeconomic situation in the region. He will also hold meetings with regional administrators and local population.
While in Shugnan, President Rahmon will get acquainted with the pace of mitigation of effects of mudslides and floods that hit several villages in the district recently.
The president is also scheduled to inaugurate a number of economic and social facilities in the region and give start to construction of a number of new facilities there.
We will recall that mudslides and floods caused by melting glaciers have killed six people in the Vanj district.
Besides, severe mudflows triggered by glacial melt amid abnormally hot weather in the country affected the villages of Barsem, Berdibekobod and Kolkhozobod in the Shugnan district on July 16. The mudflows carrying with them the mass of slurry, huge rocks and uprooted trees formed a giant dam blocking the Ghund River and creating an artificial lake. Mudslides and floods destroyed dozens of residential buildings, trade and cultural facilities, electricity lines, and an irrigation system in the mentioned villages.
According to the government data, mudslides and floods destroyed 72 residential buildings in the Shugnan district. The families whose houses were destroyed were moved to a safer area and settled in a temporary tent camp.
Families, whose residential buildings were destroyed completely, received 10,000 somoni each and families, whose residential buildings were damaged martially, have received 6,000 somoni each.
Meanwhile, according to some sources, reinforced security measures have been taken in connection with Rahmon’s visit to Gorno Badakhshan. Additional forces have reportedly been sent to Gorno Badakhshan to maintain public order in the region.
