Work on Pashdan dam in Herat resumes

KABUL (Pajhwok): Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has inaugurated the remaining construction work on the Pashdan dam in western Herat province.

Baradar told the inaugural ceremony the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) was committed to managing natural resources for development and self-sufficiency of the country.

He said the caretaker government had carried out a comprehensive assessment of all incomplete dams.

He promised the remaining work would be resumed on all incomplete projects in the country under a well-thought-out plan.

The Pashdan dam is situated 20 kilometres east of Herat City in Karokh district. Work on the project was launched by the previous government and was expected to be completed in three years.

But after the political change in the country, work on this dam was delayed. The dam is being constructed at the confluence of three rivers — the Karokh, Syah Aab and Seer Ab.

The dam will have the capacity to store 54 million cubic metres of water, irrigate 13,000 hectares of land and generate 2MW of electricity.

On the completion of the project, thousands of people would be provided with job opportunities directly and indirectly.

kk/mud