Tajikistan Relocating Families From Flood Zone

GHARM, Tajikistan -- Tajik authorities have relocated 30 families from Tajikistan's eastern Rasht district to an area near Dushanbe because of chronic flooding, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports.

Mirzokhuja Iftorov of Tajikistan's Employment and Migration Service told RFE/RL that the families relocated voluntarily and will get land and money to build new houses once they arrive in Danghara, their new town.

Nizom Giyoev, who has already moved, told RFE/RL that his former house was situated in a dangerous place that flooded every year.

Another relocated person, Muhammadsodiq Saidmuhiddin, said he decided to move in order to improve his living conditions. He said he left his old house in Rasht to his son and wants to build a new house in Danghara.

Each relocated family will receive the equivalent of about $800 from the government to construct new homes, which are likely to cost much more.

The Tajik government has tried in recent years to resume a Soviet-era program that relocates families from undeveloped mountainous areas to more developed districts that have better infrastructure.

The program is currently relocating people in areas prone to floods and those living close to the site of the future Rogun hydropower station.