The issue of drinking water scarcity for residents in Devashtich District of region in Tajikistan has remained unresolved for many years. Despite repeated allocation of substantial funds to address this issue, local residents report that they are still forced to buy water, while no steps are being taken to solve the problem.
Five years ago on August 26, 2019, President Emomali Rahmon inaugurated the “Khazorchashma-Gonchi” water pipeline network in Devashtich District of Sughd region to provide the population with drinking water.
According to official statistics of the State Unitary Enterprise for Housing and Communal Services, the length of the “Khazorchashma-Gonchi” pipeline is 7,220 meters and, as part of the project, the town of Gonchi and its surrounding villages were provided with drinking water.
The water supply project cost 7 million 670 thousand somoni (approximately 791,766.45 USD, as per 2019 exchange rate).
According to the Devashtich district administration, gravity-fed drinking water from the Khazorchashma source is supplied through polyethylene pipes with a diameter of 500 millimeters over a distance of 7 kilometers, and through iron pipes with a diameter of 150 millimeters over a distance of 220 meters to the Zarnisor water source.
Upon completion of the project, “Khovar” news agency website and the president’s website reported that the project was completed costing over 8 million somoni (825,832.03 USD) and that the “Khazorchashma-Gonchi” pipeline would provide drinking water to the residents of Gonchi and its surrounding villages.
Residents Say They Still Have to Buy Water
Although the project was completed in 2019, five years later the problem of drinking water scarcity remains a significant issue for the population. Abdukhoshim, a resident of the village of Guli in the Devashtich district, told CABAR.asia that they still buy water from delivery trucks.
“We had a pipeline installed, but we don’t have drinking water. We buy one truck of water per month, which now costs 160 somoni (about 15 USD). We buy water not only for ourselves but also for our livestock,” said Abdukhoshim.
However, according to the director of the State Water Supply and Sewerage Enterprise of the Devashtich district, Nizomiddin Nuriddinzoda, in several areas, people no longer need to buy water as “the problems have been resolved.”
“Previously, we had problems with water shortages, and the residents had to buy water. Now this problem has been resolved, and people no longer buy water. In the villages of Kalachai Azim, Kalachai Rais, and Eshonkurghan, two wells were drilled two years ago under the ‘Community-Based Agriculture Support+’ project to improve pastures, and the villages were provided with water,” added Nuriddinzoda.
The “Community-Based Agriculture Support+” project is not related to the “Khazorchashma-Gonchi” project. However, according to Nizomiddin Nuriddinzoda, this project was also aimed at addressing the drinking water issue.
Residents of Gonchi, Gul, Eshonkurghan, Kalachai Azim, and Kalachai Rais still report that they are buying water. Most of them have built storage tanks in their yards to hold drinking water.
“There is no water in our village. We dug three water wells, but we still buy water. Two years ago, we received some help and the residents contributed 10% of the funds to install water troughs, but we still don’t have water,” says Dilovar, a resident of Eshonkurghan.
Another resident of Eshonkurghan, Mamura Kholikova, added that water is supplied for only half an hour, which is clearly insufficient.
“We have poor access to drinking water. We buy water and store it in tanks. Troughs have been installed on the street, but water has never flowed through them. The old pipeline provides water for half an hour every other day, and there is no water at all in the new pipes,” says Kholikova.
When we inspected the village streets, new troughs were noticeable at certain distances, but there was no water in them. We assumed that these troughs were built as part of the “Khazorchashma-Ganchi” project; however, it later became clear that the project only covered the area up to Zarnisor.
According to Nuriddinzoda, these new troughs were installed two years ago as part of the “Community-Based Agriculture Support+” project, implemented with support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). However, as our observations showed, the water shortage problem was still not resolved after this.
Kobil, a resident of Gonchi, transports water in his car. He explained that water is supplied through the pipeline only for one to two hours on a schedule, and during hot weather, it doesn’t reach their village at all. According to him, they receive water through the pipelines on a set schedule.
“We have water in the winter but as soon as it gets hotter, the water is gone completely. I bring water for my family in my car,” says Kobil.
Residents showed their storage tanks and empty water basins to confirm their statements.
The situation is similar in the village of Gul. Local residents complain about the lack of both drinking and irrigation water. One of the villagers, Khayot, says that the pipes in the villages date back to the Soviet era.
“In the lower part of the village, about four kilometers from here, there is a private well owned by one of the residents, and water is delivered from there by tanker, which we buy. There is no water in the taps. Water is supplied irregularly. The pipes in these villages have been here since Soviet times. We buy water,” reports the source of CABAR.asia .
Statements from Officials
Nasriddin Komilzoda, Deputy Head of the Gonchi District for Economic Affairs, confirmed the existing issues with water supply.
“Despite the current difficulties, we are working on this, and with district budget funds, we are implementing a new pipeline project to provide water for the population,” he said.
The Devashtich district authorities claim that as part of the pipeline project residents of Gonchi, Kalachai Rais, Kalachai Azim, Eshonkurghan, Gul, and Gulobod were provided with drinking water. However, according to the results of an on-site journalistic investigation, the residents of these villages still do not have full access to water.
Nizomiddin Nuriddinzoda, Director of the Devashtich District Water Supply and Sewerage Enterprise, dismissed residents’ complaints about water supply issues as unfounded.
He noted that the project was completed, and water from the Khazorchashma source flows seasonally. Additionally, two pumping stations were built as part of the project, which are activated when there is insufficient water from the main source.
“There are no problems; the population is provided with water for two hours a day,” added Nuriddinzoda.
How Was the Project Implemented?
According to official data, the subsidiary of the Capital Construction and Repair Department of the State Housing and Communal Services allocated 7 million 670 thousand somoni (approximately $791,766.45 per 2019 exchange rate) for construction work in the Khazorchashma area.
The project included the construction of a 700-cubic-meter reservoir, the installation of 7,000 meters of polyethylene pipes with a diameter of 315 mm, drilling of a vertical well, asphalting of roads, installation of fencing around the reservoir, construction of auxiliary buildings, and connection to the Khazorchashma-Gonchi gravity water supply system.
Official documents state that the construction work for the project was completed by the contractor, OJSC “Mobile Mechanized Brigade-28.” This is confirmed in an official response from the State Housing and Communal Enterprise, signed by Chief Engineer M.A. Safarov. Safarov himself told our journalist that the project was already completed when he took over.
Manuchehr Sattorov, the director of OJSC “Mobile Mechanized Brigade-28,” the contractor for this project, told CABAR.asia that “the Khazorchashma-Gonchi project covered the area from the source, that is, the village of Khazorchashma, to Zarnisor (the location where water distribution takes place).” Over this 7-kilometer distance, a pipeline with a diameter of 315 mm was laid.
“Our company did not lay the pipes as that work was handled by another company. The State Housing and Communal Services Enterprise was the client, and this task was assigned to a different company,” Sattorov explained.
He clarified that OJSC “Mobile Mechanized Brigade-28” initially worked on this project from 2008 to 2010. In 2011, the project was suspended. From 2012 to 2015, another company was responsible for its implementation, and from 2017 to 2019, “Mobile Mechanized Brigade-28” resumed and completed the project.
According to Manuchehr Sattorov, over the eight years that his company was involved in the project, a total of 1 million 984 thousand somoni (about $204,806.34 per 2019 exchange rate) was spent.
“With these funds, the company built a reservoir, a vertical well with fencing, an auxiliary building, as well as a building for electrical works and a bridge.
During the investigation, it became known that in 2012 the company LLC ‘Istiklol Sokhtmon’ (as indicated in the reference from the State Unitary Enterprise ‘Housing and Communal Services’ dated May 15, 2024, No. 26/24) was involved in the project, which operated for one year.
For the implementation of the project, this company used 5 million 295 thousand 930 somoni (approximately $546,693.58 at the 2019 exchange rate). This information was provided by the State Unitary Enterprise ‘Housing and Communal Services’ of the republic under No. 26/24 dated May 15, 2024.
Although the State Unitary Enterprise ‘Housing and Communal Services’ names the second contractor as LLC ‘Istiklol Sokhtmon’, such a name was not found in the Unified State Register. There may have been an error in the spelling of the contractor’s name. The Unified State Register found LLC ‘Stroitel’stvo Istiklol.’ It was registered in the Unified State Register on June 30, 2008, and its current status is ‘active.’ However, upon entering the tax identification number of LLC ‘Stroitel’stvo Istiklol’ in the Unified Window, it turned out that the company is registered under a different name.
According to the data from the ‘Unified Window,’ the contractors founder is Osimdzhan Azamdzhanovich Vakhidov, and the registered director is Samad Ganievich Nabiev. The main activity of LLC ‘STROY KOMPLEKT KHEOPS’ is stated as construction and repair of buildings. Other details could not be established. The water supply project ‘Khazorchashma-Ganchi’ was commissioned with the participation of the country’s president in 2019.”
“Where did the project funds go?
The submitted documents indicate a total amount that was supposed to be spent on the project of 7 million 670 thousand somoni (approximately $791,766.45 per 2019 exchange rate). However, according to calculations by CABAR.asia, if all allocated funds for the project (from 2008 to 2019) are summed up, the amount will be 7 million 478 thousand 425 somoni (about $771,990.36). This means a difference of 191 thousand 575 somoni (over $19,280).Journalist of CABAR.asia submitted a request to the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption of Tajikistan for comments on the progress of the water supply project ‘Khazorchashma-Ganchi.’ In the official response from the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption of Tajikistan, signed by the first deputy director of the Agency, Colonel of Justice B. Rasulov, it was reported that in 2018, the water supply project ‘Khazorchashma-Gonchi’ in the Devashtich district was checked for the work completed by the companies LLC ‘Istiklol Sokhtmon’ and JSC ‘Mobile Mechanized Brigade-28.’
Agency specialists identified inflated costs during the inspection due to non-compliance with construction norms and coefficients, and all identified damages were fully compensated. The response also stated that the further implementation of the water supply project ‘Khazorchashma-Gonchi’ is under review by the Accounts Chamber of the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Agency has no more information on this project. The Accounts Chamber of the Republic of Tajikistan, in response to a journalist’s inquiry dated June 3, 2024, No. 1/4-320, stated that a financial and economic audit of the water supply project ‘Khazorchashma-Gonchi’ had not been conducted.”“Insufficient Transparency
The water supply project ‘Khazorchashma-Gonchi’ is not the only case where significant deficiencies were identified during implementation. Similar examples occur frequently, and many projects are either not fully completed or not executed according to the planned schedule.
Economic expert Uktam Jumayev associates the unsuccessful implementation of projects with an insufficiently effective management system. ‘One of the main reasons for failures in project implementation is the inadequate functioning of the transparency assurance system. The system must operate effectively, and each project participant must diligently fulfill their tasks. Additionally, information and reports must be published on the official websites of cities and districts to keep the public informed about the process. However, in most cases, we do not see such transparency,’ the expert stated. Jumayev suggests conducting discussions with residents of the regions before the start of projects to keep them informed about the progress of work. Moreover, he believes that representatives of the community should be involved in the implementation and oversight of projects.”