Al Jazeera news organization has produced a short documentary on the Aral Sea, which speaks about “one of the world’s largest man-made environmental disasters”.
“It was once a rich fishing ground for the Soviet Union, now it is a salty desert. The disappearance of the Aral Sea has affected the lives of millions of people. Its poisonous dust storms from the remains of the pesticides reach far beyond Central Asia. Rusty ships on the former seabed have become monuments of environmental destruction,” the Qatari funded media says.
According to the report, poor water management and lack of regional cooperation are seen as the main obstacles.
“Can you imagine to bring back all that amount of water that was there 55 years ago in the Aral Sea, you will need an average river the size of Dunay or Volga to constantly flow for about 7 years,” Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis Boriy Alikhonov noted while speaking about the disaster.
As it was noted, the government of Uzbekistan hopes by improving facilities and reviving the economy, people will return to the area. The United Nations has launched a Multi Donor Trust Fund to improve living conditions near the former sea.
“This is not a catastrophe that is over. The climate impact continues to unfold,” Helena Fraser, UN Resident Coordinator for Uzbekistan, said.
It is especially noted by the media that the government of Uzbekistan and the United Nations are trying to bring life back into the Aral Sea region.
