Minister of Water Resources and Water Security, Karim Hasni, has instructed officials in the sector to implement the device of easing the technical procedures for drilling boreholes for agricultural use, and this, to meet the needs of irrigation water, especially in this period of water stress.
In a note addressed to the Directorate General of the National Water Resources Agency, the Directors of Water Resources (DRE) of the wilayas, as well as the Walis, Mr Hasni asked to implement the easing device relating to the technical methods of sinking forges for agricultural use, adopted by the interministerial circular No. 49 of 23 February 2021.
This measure is part of the facilitations granted to farmers to meet the needs of their farms with irrigation water, especially during this period of water stress which is being severely experienced in some of the country’s provinces due to the drop in dam reserves, the note reads.
For the implementation of this new device in an “adequate way”, the Minister of Water Resources mentioned the recourse to the “percussive” as a palliative drilling method to the insufficiency of the machines working by “rotary “, and this, after advice of the Directorate General of the National Water Resources Agency.
Directorate General of the National Water Resources Agency should decide on the basis of a number of factors including the depth of the water point, the geological nature of the land, and the quantitative and qualitative protection of the groundwater, Hasni said.
The authorisation to use the “percussive” drilling method for the realisation of boreholes for agricultural use is granted by order of the governor on the basis of the results of the technical instruction of the farmer’s request, established by the Directorate of Water Resources in accordance with the formal advice of the Directorate General of the National Water Resources Agency, is also mentioned in this instruction.
With regard to the deadlines for processing the application for the use of the “percussive” method, it must be received and processed, according to the Minister, within a maximum period of one month by the same one-stop shop set up at the level of the Directorate of Water Resources for issuing authorisations to carry out agricultural drilling.
In addition, the officials concerned are asked to “strictly respect the technical prescriptions laid down by the interministerial circular and to report any difficulties encountered in its application “, the note recalls.
