BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 22
By Klavdiya Romakayeva - Trend:
Measures are being taken to significantly reduce the transfer of salt and dust from the drained bottom of the Aral Sea to the territory of nearby areas, Trend reports referring to the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan.
The Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan, together with the State Forestry Committee, the Scientific Information Center and the Interstate Water Coordination Commission held via videoconference a scientific and practical seminar "Monitoring results and further measures for greening on the drained bottom of the Aral Sea."
It was noted that the aim of the seminar is to develop concrete measures for the practical application of the results of monitoring the drained bottom of the Aral Sea, carried out within the framework of the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Human Security for the Aral Sea Region project “Solving urgent human security problems in the Aral Sea region by promoting sustainable rural development", implemented by UNDP (United Nations Development Program) and UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund).
It is reported that 1,500 different locations for forest planting and more than 30 plant species were identified, and over the past four years on the drained on the bottom of the Aral Sea, forest plantations were carried out on a total area of 1.7 million hectares.
For these purposes, at the expense of the Trust Fund, special equipment was delivered to the region - excavators, bulldozers, trucks, and the material and technical base of the state forestry in the Takhtakupyr region was improved. As a result, the area of the nursery was increased from 12 to 50 hectares, the volume of forest plantations - from 2,200 to 5,000 hectares, the harvesting of grain from desert plants - from 8 to 65 tons.
In addition, within the framework of projects, 3,500 residents of five remote makhallas (quarters) of the Takhtakupyr district - Beltau, Tazakonys, Mulk, Marzhankol and Zhanadarya - are provided with clean drinking water due to complete reconstruction and commissioning of modern water treatment plant, units of two desalination systems, installation of 16.6 kilometers of water supply networks and the supply of new equipment for the creation of six private sector enterprises.
“These measures will significantly reduce the transfer of salt and dust from the drained bottom of the Aral Sea to the neighboring areas, preserve biological diversity, and also make a significant contribution to the development of forestry and an increase in forest areas in the Aral Sea region,” the message said.
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