Since May 2022 President Serdar Berdymukhammedov has been regularly voicing concerns over a shortage of irrigation water in Dashoguz velayat.
On 25 July it was announced that preparations to build a large artificial water reservoir between the Shasenem and Turkmen rivers are underway.
Correspondents of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” report that equipment and machinery from all Turkmen provinces owned by the Motorway Management Agency and “Türkmendemirýollary” (“Turkmen railways”) will be deployed for the construction of the water reservoir.
Caterpillar bulldozers and dredgers as well as maintenance staff are being sent to the construction site. For example, four people from “Turkmen railways” have already been sent on an assignment. They will be working on a two-week rotation basis. The agency covers transportation costs and meals.
According to employees, salaries have not been negotiated and approved. Salaries in the agency and the Water Management Committee are not unified and for this reason employees have not been informed of the remuneration in the construction site for the same work they have done in their previous jobs, such as digging or moving the soil.
According to engineers, there is misunderstanding between organizations representing various agencies. For this reason people try to resolve issues through khyakimlik’s offices, which makes it even more confusing. For instance, the agencies are trying to shift fuel expenses on each other.
A bulldozer operator said that the machinery is repaired and serviced in one of Caterpillar service centers.However, for a few years machine operators have been urged to cover the expenses to purchase consumables and accessories.
For instance, the amount of 1600-1800 manats is retained from them for the replacement of air filters.Air conditioners in bulldozers also need to be serviced: 1,5 liter of Freon gas costs 500 manats and a filter 350 manats.
This situation is not unique for bulldozer and dredger operators. In May correspondents of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” reported that during a wheat harvesting campaign combine operators were obliged to pay for the maintenance and repair of the machinery.
In the meantime it is unknown who has won the tender for the construction of the water reservoir.
On 7 July the Ministry of Construction and Architecture announced the international tender for the construction of a new section of the Shasenem irrigation channel, which is 100,2 km long and a water reservoir with the capacity of 90 million cubic meters.
Applications will be accepted until 19 August.
A few days later the tender was announced for the international consulting agency which will provide counseling and technical oversight of the design and construction of the new section of the irrogation channel and the water reservoir.The post Machinery from all Turkmen provinces deployed in the construction of a water reservoir in Dashoguz first appeared on Chronicles of Turkmenistan.