44 irrigation dams to be built this fiscal year: NWARA

KABUL (Pajhwok): National Water Affairs Regulation Authority (NWARA) on Saturday said 44 new irrigation dams would be designed and built in different parts of the country during this ongoing fiscal year.

Ahmad Wais Basiri, NWARA head, told a press conference that 21 small water control dams were built in some parts of capital Kabul last year.

He said that Kamal Khan Dam in Nimroz province would be also inaugurated on March 25. He added that the dam would irrigate 174 hectares of land and produce around nine megawatts of electricity.

Pashdan Dam in Herat province would be also constructed and completed this ongoing fiscal year, he said, adding that 44 smaller size dams would be also built during the same period.

Faiz Rahman, general director of water resources, said the ground water level had plummeted by eight percent due to drought in the country over the last four decades.

On average, Afghanistan can store 69 billion cubic meters of water, including 53 billion cubic meters on the surface.

He added that 23 billion cubic meters of water was spent for irrigation, drinking and other activities annually in the country.

The NWARA announcement comes as rainfalls in Afghanistan has decreased compared to the past years and people are worried about a serious drought.

mds/ma

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