DILI, 07 october 2022 (TATOLI) – The Government of Timor-Leste, through the Ministry of Public Works (MoP), together with the National Authority for Water and Sanitation. (ANAS.IP), the Secretary of State for the Environment (SEA), and NGOs, today launched a water and soil conservation program.
The water and soil conservation program was officially launched by Deputy Prime Minister, José Maria dos Reis, in Metiaut, Dili, today.
The program was launched with the creation of check dams in a dried creek in the Metiaut village.
The conservation program covers 16 villages in the capital Dili and two villages of Aileu municipalities, involving more than 600 local villagers.
President of ANAS, I, P, Domingos Pinto said in his introductory speech at the launching ceremony that the program adopted various conservation methods namely, afforestation and reforestation, retention ponds, terraces, and check dams.
“With some parts of the public infrastructure in Timor-Leste being damaged during the April Flash Flood in 2021, MoP, SEA, and NGOs launched the conservation program with an emphasis on planting trees, building check dams, creating ponds, and making terraces to conserve water and prevent floods in capital Dili,” he said.
Pinto said making check dams with local materials such as rocks and sandbags in the identified dried creek across the capital Dili and municipalities is important to preserve rainwater up in the hills to prevent erosion and flooding in the plain areas: “In addition to check-dams, terracing the hillside will also help to prevent rainwater from running down a hill.”
MoP had identified 11 dry creeks across Dili, where check dams will be created to conserve water, and prevent soil erosion, land degradation, and reduce sedimentation.
Minister of Public Works, Abel Pires da Silva said that MoP allocated nearly US$2.5 million for the implementation of the conservation program.
“Timor-Leste lost around US$300 million due to the April Flash Flood, last year. We don’t want Dili to experience the same disaster in the future. Therefore, we need to conserve the water in the hills and prevent sedimentation from running down to the plain areas which may damage our public infrastructures such as bridges, roads, and public buildings,” he said.
Silva said the same program will be implemented in other municipalities once the pilot program in the capital Dili is concluded.
At the same place, the executive director of Permaculture Timor-Leste (PERMATIL), Ego Lemos said the creation of the traditional check dams in Metiaut served as a great example for the communities to follow.
In Timor-Leste, rapid urbanization and population growth made it very difficult for the government to control its water resources to ensure equal distribution of water to the entire population.
Therefore, the water and soil conservation program are essential to ensure the sustainability of surface and groundwater in the capital Dili, and municipalities.
Since fresh, clean water is now considered a limited resource across Timor-Leste, and the requirement of water in Dili is higher than its availability, therefore, water conservation has become important and imperative.
Related News:https://en.tatoli.tl/2022/04/26/permatil-conducts-water-conservation-to-mitigate-the-impact-of-natural-disasters/07/
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
