President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov made working trip to Balkan velayat where he took part in the launch of construction ceremony of new village, which indeed is a major social and production cluster of new model in area of Altyn Asyr Turkmen Lake, the State news agency of Turkmenistan reports.

In the morning, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov flew by helicopter from Ashgabat to Serdar etrap. On his way, the Head of the State studied the scale of work, which has been made and is continued for the improvement of deserted territories.

It is possible to see the expansion of grandiose idea and scale of expanded activity, due to which the Karakums have significantly changed in the area of Garashor natural hollow, which became the place for artificial lake, collectors’ routes, which stretched across endless sands and brought green zones and oases.

Helicopter of the President has landed at special helipad. From the helipad, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov went to the place of the ceremony where Deputy Chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers, heads of the Mejlis, military and law enforcement agencies, hyakim of Balkan Velayat and other participants of current event have gathered.

There were heads of personnel of international organizations accredited in our country among them including Permanent Coordinator of the United Nations in Turkmenistan Elena Panova, Head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia Natalya German, Representative of the UNICEF in Turkmenistan Shaheen Nilofer, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat Natalya Drozd, Acting Permanent Representative of the UN Development Programme in Turkmenistan Natia Natzvlishvili and many other.

Heads of the ministry, departments, public organizations, heads and personnel of foreign diplomatic missions accredited in Turkmenistan, representative of foreign mass media, honoured guests delegated from different states and international structures and world companies have also come to participate in the event. All of them have come to Serdar from Ashgabat by special train.

Musicians, popular singers and dancers performed for the participants. The performances added the event with celebration mood and bright national colour as if inviting to the world of Turkmen culture and its rich heritage.

The meeting with the heritage was right behind symbolical gates opening wonderful gallery of architectural symbols of Turkmen history – old monuments and new facilities, which would be built in this place under the construction of new settlement.

The President of Turkmenistan and the guests followed by carpet path along the city of models of buildings, pavilions and decorated tents were welcomed by the performers of folk and theatre stage plays from the plots of two-volume book of the Head of the State “Turkmenistan – the Heart of the Great Silk Road” and “Water –the Sources of Life and Abundance”.

Models of buildings giving the presentation of new social and production complex after few years, school where young residents would go, kindergarten that would accept children, who would be born in this place, were installed on another side. Project planners and designers demonstrated cultural club, clinic, residential building and even public garden in volume illustrations on the subject of the future of Altyn Asyr Lake.

Wind and solar installations, which would produce electricity from renewable sources for production and living needs, were seen behind the models of future buildings. In other words, life of people would be built in ecological format in order not to allow negative impact on the nature of the desert.

The concept of Turkmen leader means rational management methods, scientific organization and application of advanced technologies allowing to avoid harmful impact on ecology. Stable ecological situation in Turkmenistan despite intensive industrial development in the country is an example of this achievement.

Social and production complex, which construction was started on that day, would meet ‘green’ principles of organization of living environment. The project of construction of Altyn Asyr Turkmen Lake is aimed at the solution of the problem of disposal of drainage waters, which are unavoidable outcomes of irrigated farming. If previously these waters were drained to Amudarya and Karakum Desert, now, Turkmenistan is the first in the region to refuse such practice demonstrating an example of careful treatment of environment.

The idea was to unite all inter-farm and main drainages of our country into single system for collection of water and diversion of drain waters to eco-friendly place – giant Garashor Hollow, which is located on the border of Balkan, Dashoguz and Ahal Velayats. The capacity of natural reservoirs, which is 103 km long, 18.6 km wide and 70 meters deep, is 132 cubic kilometres.

Total length of all drainage collectors of the system of Altyn Asyr Turkmen Lake is 2,659 kilometres including 1,553 kilometres of canals built in the velayat, which go to the main collector. The volume of Ak Yayla water reserve, where the water is collected first and then dumped to the Lake, is 970 million cubic meters.

In general, making of artificial water reserve in Karakum desert allowed improving soil condition of irrigated lands in all regions, solving many problems related to the soil salinization, waterlogging and drought.

Therefore, strategic stock of water, which owing to natural filtration and application of modern technologies can be used for agricultural needs including for development of new lands, expansion of pasture areas as well as for irrigation and technical needs, is made in the country.

New village will have all capabilities for the activity of young scientists, researches and developers, innovators and testers. Studies in the development of ‘smart’ farming and modern technologies of livestock and fishery production, opening of waste-free industrial facilities will be on high demand.

According to ecologists, at present moment, around 25 fish species like mullet, roach, catfish, carp, etc. live in Altyn Asyr Lake. It means that biological foundation for breeding of fish and opening of fish farms has been already laid.

It will also help in opening of new working places, development of small and medium profile business and simultaneous growth, which is linked with this sphere of processing industry, in the lake region.

The lake, which has great importance not only for our country but also for Central Asia, is one of excellent results of work made for the period of independence, pride of Turkmenistan citizens, the Head of the State said.

Construction of new modern villages at the bank of unique water facility in the centre of endless Karakums will give impulse to the development of deserted lands and will allow developing livestock farming, agriculture and fishery, which are important branches of national economy.

Highlighting that environment protection, careful treatment of nature, protection of its beauty and diversity for future generations, the Head of the State said that development of the region of Turkmen Lake would accelerate the development of the economy by efficient use of natural resources. It will also support the formation of favourable living conditions of the population and achievement of the SDGs.

Solution of water issues in this region is related to the objectives of provision of food and ecological security, creation of comfortable living environment. Hence, the projects of social and economic development of the territory around the lake receive multiprofile character. All this work is aimed at the provision of prosperous life of the nation, happy future of younger generation, the Head of the State said.

At present time, we implement major national programmes and projects in economy, social, humanitarian and ecological spheres and we try to use rich experience and creative potential in this sphere for global interests, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said.

Project of construction of Altyn Asyr Turkmen Lake, which is very important for entire region and has no analogues, is aimed at the achievement of these great goals.

Having mention recent adoption of the Concept of the lake region development in 2019 – 2025 and the implementation plan, the President said that new villages would be built in the future on surrounding territories and along water collectors. Large-scale work is planned for sheep and camel breeding, fishery and farming.

New productions would be coordinated with scientific studies aimed at the increment of biological flora and fauna diversity, improvement of ecological conditions of the region, clean up and efficient use of water from the lake.

It is planned to open special laboratory and to provide it with modern equipment for giving systematic character to these current scientific studies, the Head of the State said. In near future, desert and cultivated plants, fruit trees will grow on the ban of Turkmen Lake and this process has to be fundamentally studies on scientific base.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has also urged the members of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs to take the most active part in this work. In particular, fish farms, teams provided with fishing boats and special equipment for catching of fish has to be established.

The expansion of the scale of this activity will give the opportunity to create new village away for cultural zone and will support the flow of the population to this area.

The President said that the first stage of construction of this project would be carried out in 2019 – 2022, the second would start in 2022 with the full completion of works by 2025.

Living and other modern cultural, social and production facilities would be built taking into account climate conditions of the region and traditional way of life of rural population, the President highlighted. The houses will have land plots for personal needs and necessary engineering and technical facilities.

The roads will come to the village, all conditions for livestock farming, fishing and agriculture will be made. Special attention will be paid to the occupancy of rural population and their social protection.

Modern image of new villages, settlements and velayat centres, which are built in different parts of the country, facilities, which have already been built, improve the beauty of our sunny country. We would continue the policy in this direction, the President said.

All this grandiose work indicates brightly the achievements of great success, high levels in all spheres of life of the state and society by the country.

Addressing foreign diplomats, heads and personnel of international organizations accredited in our country, the President expressed the gratitude for their participation in current event and for their important work including for support of ecological initiatives of Turkmenistan, which makes specific measures in the field of water diplomacy.

Congratulating the compatriots and participants of the event with the start of construction of new modern village on the bank of Altyn Asyr Turkmen Lake, the Head of the State wished everyone strong health, wealthy and happy life, and great success in work for further prosperity of the country to the construction personnel and those who would move to new village, which would decorate Karakum desert.

The speech of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was greeted with loud applauses.

Boy and girl, the representatives of younger generation of the country, came to the Head of the State. By the request of children, the President signed commemorative message to the successors on occasion of current event, which was placed in special capsule.

The Head of the State gave start to the construction throwing the shovels of concrete to the base of the foundation of the first facility on new village.

In the conversation with the members of the Government of the country near the helicopter upon the completion of the ceremony, the President noted the importance of successful solution of objectives followed from the state programmes, which are aimed at social and economic development of the regions of the county. Having focused on the improvement of the level of social protection of the nation, improvement of production potential of the country, Turkmen leader addressed specific assignments on integrated and comprehensive approach to the fulfilment of planned work.

Having said goodbye to the participants and wished them good health, prosperity and success in work, Head of the state Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov left the place of event.