Anti-flood measures, investments not realized
29/10/2011 00:00
Linda Rama: Between Family, Work and Albania’s Future 18/08 14:30
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protection (MAFCP) has
been able to spend only 1.4 billion ALL (around 100 million EUR) for
investments in drainage infrastructure by the end of September 2011, a
figure equal to 37.6% of the initial plan and 53% of the reviewed budget
plan.
The news comes from the report of budget implementation, published by the MAFCP. The tables for the budget execution show that the drainage infrastructure should be spending 3.76 billion ALL, according to the budget of 2011, mainly due to the government’s desire to avoid a similar experience with the massive floods that our country faced last winter. But, the government decreased the drainage budget with 2.67 billion ALL in June and the Ministry of Agriculture has spent 1.4 billion ALL until the end of September.
Low terrain regions were flooded several times during 2009-2011, and the government was accused of neglecting the drainage infrastructure and embankments, which could have minimized the flood risk. Each year, the government has promised for more funds, and each year, the Ministry of Agriculture has not seen it reasonable to spend all of them.
MAFCP says that 2% of the investments against floods were realized until June, and the payment fund of this product was realized. Regardless the delays, the contracts for the works have been signed and MAFCP says that the repairs of the 28 hydropower plants is over and that most of the drainage infrastructure has been cleaned in the areas of Shkoder, Lezhe, Lushnje, Fier and Korce. The report adds that the Ministry hopes to complete all works within October, or otherwise it will be too late.
However, experts think that the chances for floods are smaller this year, due to the fact that the hydropower lakes have been emptied and can absorb considerable amounts of water.
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