DUSHANBE, December 26, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Parliamentary hearings to discuss the progress of implementation of the country’s environmental monitoring program designed for 2013-2017 took place on December 26.

Muhammadato Sultonov, a spokesman for the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) says the meeting participants included deputies of the Majlisi Namoyandagon and senior representatives of relevant ministries and agencies.

Speaking at the meeting, MP Zayniddin Safarov, who heads the Majlisi Namoyandagon Environmental Commission, noted that the national budget for 2015 earmarked 2.78 million somoni for implementation of the environmental monitoring program.

Besides, international grants totaling 10.57 million somoni will be provided to support this program, Safarov said.       

Representatives of relevant ministries and agencies noted that more than nine kilometers of canals and mud spillways had been cleared within the framework of the program.

During the meeting, Safarov sharply criticized government agencies for failure to implement the program properly, Sultonov said.