DUSHANBE, January 30, 2009, Asia-Plus — Tajik Ministry of Land Reclamation and Water Resources (MLRWR) offers Central Asian downstream countries to make their contribution to clearing the long-deposited silt at the Norak and Qairoqqum reservoirs in Tajikistan.
According to Land reclamation and Water Resources Minister Said Yoqubzod, water resources of the trans-border rivers as well as the Norak and Qairoqqum reservoirs are used practically by all countries of the Central Asia. “However, only Tajikistan incurs a lose from this,” said the minister, “It is pleasant for us that we have managed to persuade some our neighbors to make contribution to this project. Last year, Kazakhstan provided $300,000 for the first time.”
The minister noted that silting had led to decrease in capacities of the reservoirs. Thus, according to specialists, silting in the Qairoqqum reservoir has reached 1 billion cubic meters to this date.
Yoqubzod pointed to the necessity of developing a regional project for clearing the long-deposited silt at the Norak and Qairoqqum reservoirs. According to him, clearing one cubic meter of silt will come on average to $1.00.
Besides, the minister also noted that Tajikistan had spent 10 million US dollars for river bank enforcement work over the past 2-3 years. The same amount has been provided by the Agricultural Rehabilitation Credit Bank. “I think it would be fair enough if neighboring countries also participate in this work,” Yoqubzod said.
