AIBAK (Pajhwok): Construction work on 31 water reservoirs has been completed to resolve water shortage issue for orchards spreading over 130 acres of land in northern Samangan province, an official said on Wednesday.
Eng. Abdul Majid Khirkhwa, in charge of the National Horticulture Livestock Projects (NHLP), told Pajhwok Afghan News the projects cost $412 million provided by the World Bank, with the beneficiaries paying a 23 percent of the total expenses.
He said 17 water reservoirs were constructed in Aibak, the provincial capital, 11 in Hazrat Sultan district and three in Firoznakhchar district. Each reservoir has the capacity to store 500 cubic meter water.
Khirkhawa said farmers could irrigate their 10 acres of land each from the reservoirs at a time.
Mohammad Akram, one of the farmers, said the lack of water had been one of their major problems affecting orchards in Samangan.
He said farmers could not find enough water to irrigate their orchards in summer and autumn. He hoped the new facilities would resolve the water scarcity issue to a great extent.
nh/ma
