DUSHANBE, March 11, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- On Friday March 11, Mr. Yoshihiro Nakayama, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Japan in Dushanbe, and Mr. Homid Abdulloyev, Mayor of Kulob in Khatlon province, signed a grant contract for “The Project for Construction of Drinking Water Cannel in Zarbdor Jamoat, Kulob City” for the total amount of US$ 106,249 in the framework of Japanese Grant Assistance for the Grass–roots Human Security Projects (GGP).

The mudflow, caused by flood in the Kulob area in May 2010, left huge number of households damaged.   The Government of Tajikistan constructed new settlements in the area for the evacuated victims. However, because the area, where the new settlements were built, lacks in drinking water line, people have very limited access to safe drinking water.   As using unsafe water can cause infectious disease, the people are at risk in terms of human security.

According to Japan’s Embassy in Dushanbe, in order to provide safe drinking water to the people in the target area, the project will construct drinking water system by installation of water pumps with the total capacity of 200 cubic meters per hour and pipelines with the total length of 3.2 kilometers.   The completed water system will provide approximately 7,000 people with drinking water.   The continuous supply of safe drinking water ensures basic human needs for water of people suffered from the natural disaster as well as the local people settled in the area.   Furthermore, public facilities such as schools and health centers in the area will also acquire safe drinking water supply.   As a result of the project, people can live in better living condition and awareness about water security usage will be improved in the area.

Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects (GGP) is provided to local governments, educational/ medical institutions and International NGOs in developing countries.   GGP supports projects in the human security sectors at the grassroots level. GGP has extended more than US$ 19.2 million for 266 projects in Tajikistan since 1996.

We will recall that floods that hit the Kulob area in May 2010 killed at least 22 people, leaving more than 200 injured, and more than 4,000 displaced from their homes.