Gaidar’s river restoration project aims to prevent future floods
In the village of Gaidar, located in the Ceadîr-Lunga district, the Lunguța river, once a source of water and refreshment for the locals, is now dried up and silted.
In recent years, the villagers have suffered from repeated floods caused by heavy rains, which have inundated gardens and houses, with the problems exacerbated by the poor condition of the riverbed. To address this issue, the local authorities have launched an extensive project to clean and deepen the river, funded by the National Environmental Fund, with the goal of preventing future floods and improving the living conditions of the residents of Gaidar.
Maria Gagauz, a resident of Gaidar, describes how every year, after the rains, her yard and buildings were constantly flooded. "Only now is there no water in the basement due to the drought, but the dampness remains," she explains.
The situation is similar for approximately 200 other households in the village, and to prevent future floods and restore the river's functionality, the local authorities have started a project to clean and deepen the riverbed. The village mayor, Ilia Chiosea, recalls the time when the river was a place for children to bathe and had considerable depth, but today, the river is completely clogged, causing discomfort to the residents during heavy rains.
"Our river Lunguța was flowing; we used to bathe in it when we were children. The river was deep and there were fish in it. The last time the riverbed was deepened and cleaned was in the 1980s," says the mayor.
The cleaning work has been completed 10% to date, and the work teams continue to work on widening and extending the riverbed. Galina Capsamun, secretary of the Local Council, specified that the project began on August 5, and the machinery has been working intensively for two weeks.
"This river is 6.7 kilometers long, traversing the village over a distance of 3.3 kilometers. We are at the location where the work is taking place. The contractor is working effectively and quickly," explained the secretary.
The project, valued at 6.2 million lei, is funded by the National Environmental Fund, with a 10% contribution from the Gaidar village council. This initiative brings hope that, with the completion of the work, the village residents will no longer suffer from floods during heavy rains.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
