DUSAHNBE, June 14, Asia-Plus - Tajik MPs today considered the bill “On Association of Water Users” in first reading.

Chairman of the Majlisi Namoyandagon Committee on Agriculture and Employment, Akramsho Felaliyev, telling the session pointed to the importance of that bill for Tajikistan.  

Member of the Majlisi Namoyandagon Committee on the State Construction and Local Government, Shukurjon Zuhurov, co-presenting the document noted that use of water resources remained irrational in the republic.  According to him, of 64 cubic kilometers of hydro resources of Tajikistan not more than 22 percent has been used.  

“1,042,264 hectares of sown areas and perennial forests have to date been registered in Tajikistan,” said Mr. Zuhurov, “of them, 727,729 hectares are irrigated lands and 300,000 hectares are dry-farming lands.” 

He stressed that only development and irrigation of new lands would facilitate provision of the population with foods and increase in productivity of farmlands.  According to him, at present productivity in farming units of the country is 1.5 times lower than the potential one, and the rate of use of water makes only 50 percent.   

“Adoption of the bill should help in tackling the mentioned problems, and facilitate in rise in responsibility of water users,” the MP concluded.

The session decided to hold an open discussion of the bill during several months in order to consider it in the second reading in the fall of the year.