Kunar residents urge activation of Managi hydropower dam

ASADABAD (Pajhwok): Residents of eastern Kunar province have called on the government to reactivate Managi hydropower dam, which has been non-operational for the past three years due to some problems.

They urged the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to complete remaining work on the dam in order to address electricity shortage problem in the province.

Managi power Dam has the capacity to generate 2.1 megawatts of electricity and electrify about 7,000 households at once and its construction work was started at a cost of 9 million US dollars in 1392 solar year.

However, the work could not be completed and dam has been inactive since last three years.

Last year, the caretaker government’s Economic Commission approved 3.6 million afghanis budget for completion of remaining work of the dam scheduled to be completed in four months, but practical work has not been initiated so far.

Noor-ul Rahman, a tribal elder of Doshakhel area of Asadabad, said residents of the province did not have electricity despite having huge water resources.

He recalled: “The interim government leadership allocated a budget for the remaining work of the dam last year and the project was scheduled to be completed in four months. One year has passed, but the dam remains inactive.”

Mohammad Arif, another resident of the provincial capital, said Managi hydropower dam, construction work on which was initiated on a decade ago during the previous government, has not been completed so far.

He said: “If there was no corruption in the previous government, Managi dam would have been put into service on time. We want the caretaker government to activate this dam in order to address electricity shortage problem in the province.”

About a year ago, Shahabuddin Yasir, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) chief in Kunar, told Pajhwok reconstruction work had been resumed on Managi hydropower dam in Watapur district of eastern Kunar province after a prolonged delay and will take four months to complete.

Pajhwok Afghan News strived to obtain fresh comment from Breshna Sherkat of the province regarding the dam’s reconstruction work, but failed to elicit a reply.

Contract for construction of the dam was inked with a private firm named “Amin Safi” during the previous government, but now the contract has been canceled and all work is carried out by General Directorate of Breshna.

kk/ma