Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov held a meeting in Almaty on preparations for the second phase of the project to restore the North Aral Sea. The meeting took place in the office of the Executive Directorate of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) in Kazakhstan, El.kz reports. It was attended by the Foundation's specialists and designers.
The Minister got acquainted with the progress of the development of the feasibility study (FS) of the project and considered options for increasing and stabilizing water resources in the North Aral Sea.
The project has three main components. The first component aims to improve the conditions for fisheries and the aquatic environment in and near the sea, as well as to stabilize wetlands in the river Syr Darya. Within the framework of this component, the water infrastructure will be improved and the hydrological state of the Northern Aral Sea and the Syr Darya delta will be improved.
The second component provides support for sustainable economic, social and environmental development in the Kyzylorda region through the development of fisheries, livestock, tourism and forestry. The third component is aimed at improving water resources management systems in the Aral-Syrdarya basin.
Following the meeting, Nurzhigitov instructed to complete the development of the feasibility study on time and hold public hearings on the project in the Aral Sea region.
"The project being prepared is a continuation of a large-scale project to regulate the Syrdarya River bed and preserve the Northern Aral Sea, which was implemented from 2002 to 2010 and had a positive effect on the entire region. The second phase covers many different areas - from the stable supply of water to the development of economic and social projects in the Northern Aral Sea," said Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov.