Kajakai Environmental & Sociological Assessment

Southern Afghanistan

 

Project outline

 

Maunsell is undertaking a study to identify the social and environmental affects of the Kajakai Gates Project, the major hydroelectric generation facility for southern Afghanistan. 

 

Project background

 

Work  began in the early 1970s to install circular gates at the spillway in order to further increase storage capacity of the reservoir. All work ceased due to a period of political and civil unrest which continued, in various forms, until 2001. In late 2001 work recommenced to rehabilitate the existing generation facilities and downstream irrigation canals, and to install the spillway gates – in a manner that is consistent with Afghanistan’s current and future anticipated water and power demands. 

 

Project detail

 

This study will identify the social and environmental affects of the Kajakai Gates Project, as well as formulating and costing a resettlement plan for affected persons living around the Kajakai Reservoir and north towards Deh Rawoud. In conjunction with the Kajakai Gates Project an assessment is being made of the Sistan Swamps, an ecologically sensitive area on the border of Afghanistan and Iran fed by the Helmand River. The assessment is being performed with reference to the international agreement on Helmand water rights between Afghanistan and Iran.

 

Services to client

• Social Impact Assessment with particular focus on enumeration of people located within the approximately 50km reservoir area requiring relocation and/or mitigation involving sociological impacts.
• Preparation of a full Resettlement Action Plan and terms of reference for a resettlement and reintegration project should resettlement go ahead.
• Comprehensive Environmental Assessment, including a determination of minimum stream flow releases.
• Environmental mitigation programmes.
• Economic analyses pertaining to socio-environmental impacts identified under this study programme.