Starting the implementation of a wide plan to install sand dunes in the southern desert

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[size=52]Starting the implementation of a wide plan to install sand dunes in the southern desert[/size]

[size=45]Dhi Qar / Hussein Al-Amel[/size]
[size=45]Official authorities in Dhi Qar revealed the start of implementing a five-year plan to install the Rumaila dunes in the Al-Kataa desert area between Nasiriyah and Samawah. They indicated that the plan includes a green belt extending 100 km on both sides of the highway and with an area of ​​250 thousand acres, indicating that the governorate is annually exposed. Up to 250 days of dust storms.[/size]
[size=45]The Director of Dhi Qar Agriculture, Dr. Saleh Hadi, said in an interview with (Al-Mada), that "through the follow-ups carried out by the Diwani Order Committee 73 for the project to improve the waters of the Euphrates River and treat sand dunes, the Dhi Qar Agriculture Directorate has recently started implementing the works of the sand dune treatment project."[/size]
[size=45]Hadi added, "The project extends from the deputy of Samawa governorate towards the Al-Kata'a area in Nasiriyah, where the dust-causing focus in the area is."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out, "The project is currently working with the capabilities of the Department of Agriculture and until the launch of the financial allocations from the Ministry of Finance," noting that "the work will witness a greater expansion when the allocations are launched."[/size]
[size=45]And Hadi indicated, "The project works include stabilizing sand dunes and establishing a green belt on both sides of the highway, with a distance of 100 km that extends from the Al-Kita'a area in Nasiriyah towards the borders of Samawa governorate, which constitutes a source of dust and affects Dhi Qar Governorate directly."[/size]
[size=45]The project aims, according to what the Director General of the Department of Forestry and Combating Desertification at the Ministry of Agriculture, Rawya Mezal, said to “stop the encroachment of sand dunes on villages, strategic projects and agricultural lands in the region, which is considered one of the most affected by the Iraqi climate.” The project seeks to introduce new methods and modern technology to combat desertification, and it will be a qualitative leap in terms of innovative methods and the transfer of modern technologies in dune stabilization work.” In turn, a member of the Diwani Order Committee 73 Najm Abdul Tarish Al-Ghazi said in a statement to (Al-Mada), that "the project to stabilize the sand dunes is a vital project for all of Iraq, but it is of exceptional importance to the province of Dhi Qar."[/size]
[size=45]He added, "Iraq is exposed to dust storms at the end of March and early April, but Nasiriyah is exposed annually to more than 250 days of dust storms because of the desert area in the Al-Kataa area known for its sand dunes."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Ghazi, who previously presented a number of academic ideas on improving the environmental reality and water quality, pointed out that "the idea of ​​the project was adopted by the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers and implemented by the Directorate of Forests and Combating Desertification." He explained, "The project is scheduled to allocate 48 billion dinars, but the lack of approval of the budget made the start of its implementation taking place with the self-possession of the agricultural departments." Al-Ghazi believes that “the implementation of the project with our own capabilities, although not at the level we wish, would alleviate the problem caused by desertification,” stressing that “the launch of funding for the project would speed up the pace of work.”[/size]
[size=45]He stated, "The project's work includes mud covering and afforestation of the area with a green belt that extends along the area that constitutes a source of dust."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Ghazi continues, "The nature of the area may make the project face a problem in providing water, but there are remedies for this matter from the concerned authorities."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out, "the possibility of planting crops and trees that tolerate drought and high temperatures to contribute to the stabilization of sand dunes."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Ghazi revealed “coordination with the Dhi Qar Oil Company to support the project,” adding that “the Dhi Qar Oil Company, one of whose producing oil fields (the Nassiriya field) is located in the Al-Kita’a area, will enter the line of the sand dune stabilization project in the mentioned area,” and added, “There are meetings proposed for discussion in this regard. He cautioned, that "the company's officials expressed their willingness to cooperate in this field and took the initiative to activate the company's green belt," and added, "We await the results in this field."[/size]
[size=45]For its part, the Department of Sand Dunes in Dhi Qar Governorate indicated that the first phase of the project includes mechanical stabilization to stop the dune encroachment using heavy machinery by constructing earth mounds, trenches and mud coverage, and then green belts according to the Iraqi method.[/size]
[size=45]The director of the department, Qahtan Al-Muhanna, said in a press statement followed by (Al-Mada), that "the project extends over a distance of 100 km in length on both sides of the highway, with an area of ​​250,000 acres within an integrated five-year plan."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Muhanna continued, "The work started from the Al-Warka intersection within the borders of Al-Muthanna Governorate in order to stop the sources of sand dunes towards the Dhi Qar Governorate."[/size]
[size=45]He noted, "The second phase includes the delivery of irrigation water, and the approval of the Water Resources Department has been obtained to secure 10 cubic meters of water, eight of which are from the Euphrates River and two from the Gharraf River."[/size]
[size=45]On October 19, 2021, the Council of Ministers approved the recommendations of the Diwani Order Committee 73 of 2021, regarding finding solutions to address the salinity of the Euphrates River from Muthanna Governorate to Dhi Qar Governorate.[/size]
[size=45]The Council agreed that the Ministry of Finance would allocate three billion dinars to the Ministry of Agriculture, and another three billion dinars to the Ministry of Water Resources from the emergency reserve for the fiscal year 2021, to start implementing a project to convert part of the lands adjacent to the international road to agricultural lands, based on the provisions of Article (5). from the 2021 budget.[/size]
[size=45]It was also decided that the Ministry of Finance would transfer the remainder of the total amount to the Ministry of Water Resources (31) billion, five hundred and two million, eight hundred and forty-eight dinars, from one of the ministries or agencies to treat the salinity of the Euphrates River, based on the provisions of Article (4) of the 2021 budget.[/size]
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