Iran has also plans to launch a project to build a water canal from the shores of the Persian Gulf to central cities, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday at a ceremony of launching a major project to irrigate arid areas of the country by the Caspian Sea waters, IRNA reported.
In recent years, rainfall rate has decreased in Iran and droughts intensified, Ahmadinejad said. At this rate forests will disappear in Iran after 50.
Ahmadinejad has announced the creation of new projects to optimize water consumption in the country and the rational use of boundary waters.
He also announced a plan to build a water canal from Tajikistan to supply Khorasan province with water.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday morning arrived in the province of Mazandaran, where a solemn ceremony of laying of a major project to irrigate provinces of Simnan, Yazd, Kirman with waters of the Caspian Sea was held.
The project envisages the direction of 500 million cubic meters of seawater to the central cities of these provinces. This project will require $10 billion.
The first phase envisages construction of a plant for seawater desalination with capacity of 200 million cubic meters. Then a water pipeline to deliver desalinated water to the province of Simnan, Qom and Isfahan will be built.
The project also envisages construction of a hydroelectric power station, pumping stations, power transmission lines and a reservoir.
Responsibility for the implementation of this project rests with the construction unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Khatam al Anbiya.
© Trend News Agency 2012
