Muscat – A total of 865 water licences were issued in October 2022, according to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR).

An official at MAFWR said, “The licences issued include requests for registering wells, dams and aflaj, for drilling wells, and development projects in various governorates.”

According the official, the highest number of licences – 258 – were issued in Dhahirah, followed by 189 in Dakhliyah, 124 in South Batinah, 101 in North Batinah, 88 in North Sharqiyah, 35 in Buraimi, 32 in Muscat, 30 in South Sharqiyah, four in Musandam, three in Dhofar and one in Al Wusta.

MAFWR strives to facilitate and simplify procedures for granting water licences, while preserving aflaj as a natural water resource, the official informed.

He added that the ministry is currently undertaking maintenance and restoration work of 56 aflaj in North Sharqiyah, spread over several wilayats of the governorate. This restoration work will cost over RO409,000.

According to the official, aflaj maintenance and restoration projects aim to support farmers and improve irrigation services.

Oman has 4,112 aflaj spread over its governorates.

muscatdaily