Global Arab Network | Oman: Municipalities and Water Resources - Qualitative and Quantitative Leap

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Oman: Municipalities and Water Resources - Qualitative and Quantitative Leap

Global Arab Network - - Maha Karim

Monday, 15 November 2010 17:33

Dakhiliyah_Water_Project_Inauguration__Oman

Oman (Muscat) - Municipalities and water resources sector, like other service sectors, has its share in the development witnessed by the country, during the last 40 years, the municipalities sector has witnessed a qualitative and quantitative leap. The municipalities number has increased from 3 in 1973 to 44 in 2010, Global Arab Network reports.

The Ministry has been very keen on translating the Royal vision and care for water as a national wealth and an important and basic element for the country's comprehensive development process. This was affirmed by the Royal speech in many occasions.

The Ministry has strived to implement the Royal vision by taking a number of measures and implementing a number of projects that aim at managing and developing the water resources and ensuring their sustainability.

As from the start of 2001 year till the end of 2009, the ministry has paved 5381,218 km of road projects in different parts of the Sultanate. In 2010, a number of internal roads with a total length of 1398 km distributed among the various Governorates and regions of the Sultanate had been paved.

From 2001 to the end of 2009, the ministry installed 68582 light posts in different parts of the Sultanate. In 2010, a number of 9519 lighting posts were distributed among the various Governorates and regions of the Sultanate.

The ministry had great efforts in the implementation of beautification and development of cities. In 2010 a number of beautification and development of the entrances of a number of Wilayats have been implemented.

The ministry, to promote the municipal services and utilities, set up number of new markets and slaughterhouses to meet the needs of the society. It also added sunshades and provided maintenance for a number of old markets. During the period from 2001 till 2009 the ministry had constructed and maintained 53 markets, 38 slaughterhouses and added 94 umbrellas. In 2010 the ministry will set up and maintain 8 markets, as well as, setting up 6 new slaughterhouses.

The number of parks and gardens that were set up by the Ministry until the end of 2009, a number 61 park and 65 garden spread over the different governorates and regions of the Sultanate, two public parks will be established in 2010.

The ministry is implementing an ambitious plan to build wastewater networks throughout the Sultanate. There are 52 sanitary drainage station completed so far in the country at the end of 2009, 20 of which are linked to networks for the collection and transportation of the wastewater.

The preventive health and health control is one of the necessary areas to ensure safety of population and environment. This includes a number of aspects, such as, waste management, combating disease transmitters, issuing health licenses, inspection activities, and inspection of food, vocational, industrial installations and consumer protection.

The Ministry designated certain areas for dumping of wastes at the wilayats and villages under its jurisdiction; subject to meeting certain health and environment requirements and being far away from the residential quarters.

The Ministry also regularizes the construction works and ensures that they meet the rules and regulations regularizing this field.

The underground water reserviour is estimated at 1295 million cubic meter a year, less than 25% of the public consumption.

The available water resources has witnessed a remarkable increase in the last few years by availing non traditional resources, such as, those coming from desalination plants and treated wastewater. These resources now stand at 16% of the total water uses in the Sultanate.

During the last few years the Ministry enhanced the water installations by adding a number of feed, protection and discharge dams. Currently, there are 105 dams in the Sultanate that have been implemented based on the outcome of the technical and hydrological studies. About 33 projects will be implemented in 2010, besides implementing 11 consultation studies for dams.

The aim behind the construction of these dams in the Sultanate is to provide protection against flood risks and prevent the sea water from seeping into the agricultural land. The protection dams also wash the soil salts that result from the collection of flood water.

The control data is the mainstay for all the development projects as they are closely linked to all fields, such as, construction, health, agriculture, transportation, housing, roads and defence. The control data also helping in preparing the water studies and researches which aim at assessing and developing the water resources. The number of control points at the hydrometric network amounted to 2646 in 1990. In early 2009, the number doubled to 4681 points distributed at the different parts of the Sultanate.

During the last period, the Ministry maintained and repaired hundreds of aflajs. It also dug a number of water wells that support these aflajs. It should be noted that in July 2006, the World Heritage Committee of the UNESCO approved enlisting five Omani afalaj in the World Heritage List. These afalaj are Daris in the wilayat of Nizwa, Khatmain in the Niyabat of Birkat Al Mouz in the wilayat of Nizwa, Al Malki in the wilayat of Izki, Al Maisir in the wilayat of A'Rustaq and Al Lajilah in the wilayat of Sur.

The Ministry also shows great interest in the developing of the skills of Omani cadres working in water resources related fields through active participation and membership in a number of Arab, regional and international organizations with interest in water resources. IT also takes part at the international and regional conferences that discuss water issues and problems, especially in arid and semi arid countries. It also hosted a number of these conferences here in Oman.

The Sultanate also hosts the ME Water Desalination Research Centre, an international organization dedicated to basic and applied researches in the field of water desalination technology.

The HRD Centre at the Ministry undertakes a number of rehabilitation and training courses. The centre maintains cooperation with the various training institutions. It also recruits them to conduct specialized training programmes there. It also attracts many experts and specialists to contribute to achieving this aim.

The Ministry is also very keen to develop and enhance its IT system in a bid to prepare the data bases and necessary programmes that ensure good performance of its activities. It also develops and protects the softwares and applications used by the different sectors. It also proposes alternative programs to develop the data bases and update the softwares.

The Ministry has adopted a number of important steps to apply the e-government. The Ministry in collaboration with BankMuscat implemented from the first of January 2009 a new system for e-payment of all Municipality transactions.

The Ministry also launched the e-service portal in a bid to develop the work system, promote the standard of services and improve employee performances.

The Ministry also endeavors to raise public awareness of water and municipal issues through providing people with knowledge and data on the various aspects of the Ministry's activities.

Out of its belief in the importance of voluntary work, the Ministry constituted groups for municipal support in a bid to raise public awareness of water and municipal issues. These groups also serve as communication links between the community individuals and the various municipalities.

The Ministry implemented a number of important field activities and events to raise public awareness. It also organized a number of exhibitions and published booklets that raise public awareness. These endeavors and campaigns raised public awareness of the various projects and services implemented at the different regions and governorates in the Sultanate.
(ONA)

Global Arab Network

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Last Updated on Monday, 15 November 2010 17:36

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