In recent years Amu River has destroyed a number of houses close to the bank of the Amu Darya River, where wide areas of agricultural lands, gardens, mosques and schools sustained heavy damage in the country’s Northern provinces. Meanwhile, the cabinet of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan sent a delegation headed by the Acting Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and livestock consisting of a number of representatives from the Ministries of Water and Energy, Mines and Petroleum and Border and Tribal Affairs and the Ministry of Finance. After closely witnessing and inspecting the vulnerable and eroded areas, the delegation shared its report with the media in a press conference. At the press conference, the acting Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock spoke and said, we have visited a number of northern provinces’ districts including Darqad, Dasht-e-Qala, Yanqi Qala in Takhar province; Emam Sahib district and Shir Khan Bandar in Kunduz province; Kaldar district and Hairatan Port in Balkh province and Khamab and Qarqin districts in Jawzjan province, adding that more areas in these provinces have sunk in the Amu River and people are living in remote areas without shelters.
In some areas, the Amu River has entered more than 25 kilometers in to Afghanistan territory and has destroyed lots of agricultural lands and peoples’ houses. In order to address these problems and to construct retaining walls to prevent more destruction we need 6 to 7 billion Afghanis which 2 billion Afghanis are urgently needed, adding 50 million Afghanis are provided for transportation of construction equipment and machinery to the work site and to start the practical work in the most vulnerable areas.
“People in these areas are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and we asked the international community and other relevant aid agencies to cooperate with the Islamic Emirate in this regard”, Ataullah Omari agriculture minister said.
The Deputy Minister of Mines and Petroleum said that there is a gold mine with 30 tons of gold near the Amu River and it should be saved from the danger of flooding.
The Deputy Minister of Border and Tribal Affairs said that in Amu Darya area, families are in dire need of help, and we want to help these families. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Energy and Water added that if necessary funds are available, we will try to save the vulnerable areas from destruction with the building retaining walls, and the representative of the Ministry of Finance announced the commitment of the Ministry to pay the budget.
Mohammad Daud
IEA’s delegation visits Amu Darya eroded areas
