The People's Assembly discusses the performance of the Ministry of Water Resources and issues related to its work

Damascus-Sana

The People's Assembly, in its session held today, chaired by Hammouda Sabbagh, Speaker of the Council, discussed the performance of the Ministry of Water Resources and issues related to its work.

In his speech at the beginning of the session, the Minister of Water Resources, Dr. Tamam Raad, gave a presentation on the ministry’s performance. He confirmed the increase in the implementation rate of the investment plan of the ministry and the affiliated bodies for the current year to about 80 percent, while the value of the investment plan for the next year is 77.5 billion Syrian pounds distributed among the projects of the central administration and the affiliated bodies And the Public Authority for Water Resources.

The Minister of Water Resources stated that among the most important projects implemented by the ministry is to carry out maintenance of dams and irrigation networks in the governorates, complete their implementation, rehabilitate and maintain the main canal of the Homs Hama irrigation company, remove the course of the Barada River, operate and rehabilitate existing irrigation projects, replace old ones, maintain pumping stations, secure their requirements, and dig new wells for drinking water. Implementation and maintenance of water tanks.

He pointed out that the Ministry seeks to find permanent sources of water for all population centers and to ensure its continuity through desalination projects, controlling illegal exploitation, and raising awareness among citizens to preserve water, reduce its waste and rationalize consumption, indicating that studies exist for areas that need treatment plants.

In their interventions, a number of council members called for building new water dams, securing sustainable water projects, reforming drinking water and sanitation networks in the governorates, making use of rain water by constructing collecting tanks to meet the increasing demand for irrigation water, paying more attention to the course of the Asi and Barada rivers, linking water networks between governorates, and using modern irrigation networks. And activate the water control.

Some members called for allocating water dams to the Ministry of Agriculture with the aim of planting fish fingerlings in them and making use of solar energy to operate wells and address the development of violating wells and stalled projects in Daraa and the construction of a dam in Al-Sanamayn.

A number of members pointed out the necessity of drawing water to the town of Saasa, securing a water source for the Al-Ghab Plain, securing the flow of the Al-Awaj River, settling the conditions of wells in the liberated countryside of Idlib Governorate, and solving the problem of water shortage in the Qadmous region.

Some members emphasized the necessity of securing permanent water sources for Hasaka Governorate, Deir Ezzor, and the western countryside of Raqqa, investing the water of the Al-Sen River, increasing the funds of the Water Corporation in Sweida, expanding the drilling of wells in the countryside of Homs, and treating wastewater in the regions and countryside of Aleppo, Homs, Lattakia and Damascus.

Some members called for a solution to the problem of environmental pollution in the Asi River and Lake Qattinah, to secure water to irrigate the city of Salkhad, and to maintain the Ash'ari water pumping station, wondering why the sanitation project was not implemented in Jadidat Artouz al-Fadl.

In his response to the interventions between Minister Raad, there are irrigation projects that will be put into service before next summer, and there is an emergency plan to rehabilitate some wells in several governorates, and two projects have been put into service in a residence in the countryside of Aleppo, dedicated to reclamation of agricultural lands, confirming that there is a joint plan with the Ministry of Agriculture to equip small water tanks designated for firefighting in Scattered locations in the governorates of Tartous, Latakia and Homs.

Minister Raad indicated that there are urgent plans being implemented to solve the problem of water pollution that sometimes occurs as a result of the interference between ground and surface water, while continuing to treat water in the governorates and conducting periodic analyzes of it, indicating that all the issues raised by members of the Council regarding irrigation, drinking water and sanitation projects in the governorates are being followed up. Implemented and handled by the ministry.

The session, which was attended by Minister of State for People's Assembly Affairs, Maloul Al-Hussein, rose to 11 p.m.

Wasim Al-Adawi