Over $2 bln earmarked for Iran's water sector

LONDON, May 1 (IranMania) - The government has earmarked rls 20 trln (nearly $2 bln) for projects in the water sector, said the deputy Energy Minister on Saturday.

According to Moj news agency, Reza Ardakanian, who is in charge of water affairs, told reporters this is the first time that the government had allocated such huge funds for the sector.

He pledged that some eight major dams will become operational within the next four months using the same funds.

“Two major dams, which would open in the coming weeks, include Shahr-e Chai Dam in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan province, and Aidoghmoush Dam in Mianeh, East Azarbaijan,“ he said, adding that the executive operation for 70 water projects would begin in the coming months.

He said progress in implementing 12 dam building projects has reached 70%, while there are six projects with physical progress of between 25-50%.

Some four dams are almost ready and will be official inaugurated in the near future.

Parliament Speaker Gholamali Haddad-Adel said earlier this year that the Seventh Parliament is determined to approve more funds for water projects, stressing that

one major dam would be inaugurated every 15 days on average during the coming months. Experts say Iran is the world’s third largest dam-building nation.

Iran’s dam-building industry has improved remarkably in the past two decades. It is largely believed that the implementation of industrial projects in rural areas would help reduce migration to larger cities.