The drainage system has been restored after 30 years for 11 thousand hectares of agricultural land in the villages of Lezhë and Vau i Dejës in Shkodër. The drainage canal along the segment Gjadër-Mjedë had become totally non-functional due to soil, thorns and inert materials. Even not strong rain could inundate farmlands in the villages Zojs, Gramsh, Mabe, Kukel, Barbullush, Bushat, Mjede etc., causing serious damage to farmers.
In the village Kukel, Prime Minister Rama inspected works for the rehabilitation of the drainage system in this segment, funded by the program for the rehabilitation of the irrigation and drainage infrastructure in the village.
“Final problems have been solved for 11,000 hectares of agricultural land in terms of the drainage system, but what is most important is to avoid the risk of flooding, also taking into account the rainfall situation of recent years. This segment is 22 kilometres long and crosses the entire segment, ranging from Zojs, Kukel, Barbullush and reaches the municipality of Vau i Dejës”, mayor of Vau i Dejës Zef Hilaj said.
“It has been covered by all this vegetation for 30 years, the trees have grown large, plus it is totally blocked. Water movement is impossible. And in rainy season the water runs on the surface, therefore the opening of this canal is useful not only to drain water but to keep a terrific water quantity in the rainy season”, the Chairman of the Regional Drainage Board noted.
The restoration of the irrigation and drainage system, which has been extended across the country, is among the major projects for agriculture and the countryside. It guarantees thousands of hectares of farmland against flooding, in addition to putting thousands of other hectares underwater.
“The impact that all this cleaning program of the canals is creating is remarkable. But it is the same story everywhere. Thousands of hectares are being protected from water thanks to canalization, and at the same time spaces are becoming available for agriculture. But I am convinced that by the coming season we will complete the entire scheme and have all the plots underwater. And we will guarantee for sure this other phase of the project, for this road segment has not only to do with land irrigation, but it will ensure that eventually no such flood and stories will occur anymore due to this road segment being obstructed”, – Prime Minister Rama noted.
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Lufi is a small administrative unit at the entrance of the city of Puka. Due to the extremely difficult conditions and a total lack of care, the buildings were in ruins, with no roof, and water was leaking from everywhere. Residents had abandoned the town since long. Today, its residents are coming back, thanks to the breath the Urban Revival Program is giving to this little town. With a fund of 20 million ALL, houses have been repaired and thermo-isolated. The project will continue in the second phase with road paving, lighting and green spaces.
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Puka, a city with amazing forests and nature, suffers the same problem that has accompanied the Albanian towns during the past 25 years. Due to the indifference and abandonment by the central government the town was ruined day by day. Non-existent public spaces and buildings mostly destroyed because of the lack of intervention for more than 4 decades. This is the image of the city at the start of the Urban Revival project.
With an investment of approximately 115 million ALL, a radical transformation of the city has been launched, according to a very special project to connect in the future the city centre to the lake.
A thoroughly redesigned centre, renovated facades, green spaces newly created, and a new lighting system will be the new look of the city at the end of the project, to start next week. “The next project starts next week. It is a very big project, approximately 1 billion 150 million ALL, and it includes all the elements such as public parks, sidewalks, roofs, facades and everything”, Mayor Gjon Gjonaj said while giving details of the project.
Urban interventions include the rehabilitation of the housing block behind the Palace of Culture, where streets in between the square and houses are being arranged. “Thanks to this project that the Regional Development Fund has granted us, we will arrange this neighbourhood with all its components, starting with the asphalt, gardens, the facades of buildings, and this is a novelty for the citizens of Puka”, the mayor explained.
Not only it has been neglected in urban terms, but Puka has also lacked economic development, and despite having a wonderful nature, it has not become an assets for its people. Urban Revival aims at becoming a transformation engine for Puka, in order to transform it form a forgotten area in one of the tourist destinations of northern Albania.
“Within 5 years Puka will be a real quality tourist city. It will be a tourist destination, because this is not a city where you just pass by to go somewhere else, but it’s a city where you have to come on purpose. And coming here on purpose used to be totally unimaginable due to the very bad infrastructure, due to the fact that the city was abandoned, but thanks to these interventions that are being made and to the extraordinary natural potentials being put in use, I am convinced that we will build a genuine tourist area of Albania. What is going on in Malesi e Madhe will occur also in Puka, where family employment will be encouraged thanks to tourism, and agricultural production will grow in view of tourism in this area”, Prime Minister Rama said.
