2 canal reconstructed in Nangarhar’s Batikot district

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Two canals have been reconstructed in the Batikot district of eastern Nangarhar province with 12 million afghanis assistance of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), provincial officials said on Tuesday.

The canals’ reconstruction facilitated the irrigation of 5,000 acres of farmland and benefited hundreds of families, the officials said.

Mawlawi Abdul Sattar Mohammad, the Agriculture and Livestock Department head, said thee canals were reconstructed in Chahardidi and Shabdiani areas of Batikot district.

The project, providing work opportunity to some 2000 laborers, was completed with 12 million afs financial assistance of UNDP, Mohammad said.

According to Mohammad’s information, the technical works were done by Islamic Relief Organization which facilitated the irrigation of 5,000 acres of land.

The Chahardihi Canal is 5.5 kilometers long and 218 meters retaining walls were also built to strengthen the canal.

“The Shabdiani Canal is 13 kilometers long and a 470-meter retaining wall was also constructed and 1,046 workers found work opportunity in this project. While 917 laborers worked in the Chahardihi Canal project”, Mawlawi Abdul Sattar added.

He urged local residents to consider the canals as their own property and take care of their maintenance.

Tribal elder Malak Adro Gull thanked both of the Agriculture Department and UNDP for the reconstruction of these canals. He urged the Agriculture and Livestock department to provide them with chemical fertilizers and modified seeds.

“These canals are our own property, we use them for irrigation of our fields, we will maintain them and allow no one to destroy them,” Adro Gull added.

The Agriculture and Livestock department director assured of providing farmers with chemical fertilizers and improved quality seeds.

aw/ma