Work on Zabul’s Tori Oba dam to be launched soon: Minister

KABUL (Pajhwok): The design of the Tori Oba dam in southern Zabul province has been completed and work on the project would be launched soon, the acting water and energy minister said on Thursday.

Abdul Latif Mansour made the announcement at a conference titled "Private, National and Global Investment Attraction and Encouragement” in Kabul.

He said that the design of the Tori Oba dam in Zabul province had been completed by Afghan engineers and construction work the project would be started soon.

He did not give further details about the project, but according to Pajhwok report, the dam is situated about four kilometers from Qalat, the provincial capital, in Nokhiz area.  Construction of the dam was stopped with the political change.

As per the current design, height of the walls of the dam would be raised from 15 meters to 25 meters. Once completed, the dam would have the capacity to store 150 million cubic meters of water and irrigate thousands of hectares of land.

Also, 92 million afghanis have been set aside for construction of the dam, but 140 million afghanis are needed for the new design.

Abdul Latif Mansour said work on some projects in the water and energy sector were kept continued despite economic challenges. Now security had improved in the country and it was a good opportunity for businessmen and investors to invest in water and energy sector, he added.

Acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum Shahabuddin Dilwar said that he had proposed a plan to produce 1,700 megawatts of electricity from coal to the prime minister.

He added no country had natural resources like Afghanistan, which should be used well. He also said that in the near future, 18 large and small mines will be offered for tender.

The event was also addressed by Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. "We assure the people that investments and works in mining, construction of dams and other areas are increasing with each passing and Afghanistan may become self-sufficient in a short period of time,”  said Baradar.

He assured that all officials of the Islamic Emirate were trying to solve the current problems in the country.

He once again asked Afghan businessmen and investors abroad to cooperate and invest in the reconstruction and self-sufficiency of the country as it would not only benefit the country and the people, but also the businessmen.

Acting Minister of Commerce Nuruddin Azizi said that some businessmen had  promised him that they would invest 200 million dollars in the field of energy.

He asked domestic investors and businessmen to invest in water and energy sector so that Afghanistan could become self-sufficient.

He said the government supported the private sector and wanted its participation in Afghanistan’s reconstruction.

In the conference, agreements were signed between the Ministries of Mines and Petroleum, Water and Energy and Economy and the Yellow River Company and some other companies on the second Sarobi dam project.

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