KABUL (Pajhwok): The Shah wa Arus Dam was inaugurated on Tuesday in Shakardara district of Kabul after its completion.
The dam, with a storage capacity of 9.4 million cubic meters of water, will irrigate approximately 3,500 hectares of land and generate 1.2 megawatts of electricity.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by the deputy prime ministers of economic, administrative, and political affairs, cabinet members, representatives of the private sector and local residents.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, highlighted the importance of water, saying that water was increasingly being discussed as a critical economic element in international politics and relations, and in some countries, its value surpassed that of oil and precious mineral resources.
He added: “Unfortunately, due to the wars imposed on Afghanistan and several internal and external factors, there has been no substantial investment in managing this important economic element. As a result, many citizens suffer losses in terms of life and property during floods caused by seasonal rains and climate change."
According to him, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan by recognizing the importance of water paid serious heed to the management of this crucial economic source.
The Shah wa Arus Dam in Shakar Dara district was inaugurated today to provide clean drinking water.
Mullah Baradar said with completion of this dam, water will be provided to many farmers for land irrigation. In addition to electricity production, this will make a significant contribution to individual and national economic growth.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar called on all citizens to properly fulfill their individual responsibilities in maintaining this and other projects in collaboration with the Islamic Emirate.
He explained the Shah wa Arus Dam, with a height of 78 meters, has a storage capacity of 9.4 million cubic meters of water. It will irrigate about 3,500 hectares of land and produce 1.2 megawatts of electricity.
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