The first public hearings on the draft law of the Republic of Tajikistan "On Melioration and Irrigation" took place on 3 August in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region(GBAR). Development of the law is stipulated by the water sector reform programme of the Republic of Tajikistan for 2016-2030, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, dated 15 December 2015, #791.
The law was developed with the support of the joint CAREC-USAID project Smart Waters. Currently, the use of water resources is regulated within the Water Code of the Republic of Tajikistan.
The new law intends to establish a special authorized state body, which will regulate water relations in the field of land reclamation and irrigation. Activities in the field of land reclamation will be carried out on the basis of licenses issued by this body.
Besides, the new legislative act will take into account all types of land reclamation, i.e. all areas of the land fertility improvement. In Tajikistan, the hydro melioration - lands drainage or irrigation is well developed. In addition, there is a cultural and technical melioration - clearing of the ground from vegetation, roughness, stones and other objects. Also, a forestry melioration (forest plantation, changing of the species and age composition of woody and shrubbery plants) and a chemical melioration (a system of measures of chemical effect on the soil) are distinguished.
The first public hearings of this law were attended by the deputy chairman of the local state executive authority, employees of the Agency for Land Reclamation and Irrigation. In addition, representatives of industries and sectors related to the water and land resources management participated in the meeting.
Prior to holding the public hearings, the draft law of the RT "On Melioration and Irrigation" was sent to eighteen relevant ministries and departments of the country for the review and providing comments. During the 3rd, 4th and 5th extended meetings of the National Irrigation and Drainage Commission of Tajikistan, a group of national experts made a presentation of the draft law that allowed to complement the original version of the law with 7 chapters and 30 articles to the version with 10 chapters and 46 articles.
In accordance with laws development order in Tajikistan, the Agency for Land Reclamation and Irrigation, with the support of the Smart Waters project, plans to hold public hearings of the draft law in other cities and districts of the republic. The final version of the draft law will be developed by the working group taking into account results of discussions that will take place during these hearings.
Smart Waters project is implemented by CAREC with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development USAID during the period 2015-2020. The overall objective of the project is to enhance regional cooperation on shared water resources. Specifically, Smart Waters addresses the knowledge dis-lock in the region in water sector, builds working relations among water managers and specialists, and demonstrates the potential of the basin management approach and cooperation with the academia.
