Hammana Residents Block Highway to Protest Dam Project

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Hammana residents on Wednesday staged a sit-in and blocked the Dahr al-Baidar international highway at the Falougha intersection, state-run National News Agency reported.

The move comes in protest at the inauguration of the al-Qaisamani dam project in the Falougha area, “which might in the future affect the drinking water supply in Hammana,” NNA said.

Earlier on Wednesday, schools had suspended classes and church bells were rung in protest, the agency added.

Comments 18
Thumb primesuspect 23 October 2013, 17:22

I thought the road 2 Falouja was in Iraq....

Thumb ado.australia 23 October 2013, 19:07

Because your not lebanese

Default-user-icon Anonymouss (Guest) 11 January 2014, 11:54

Falouja is different than Falougha

Thumb ado.australia 23 October 2013, 19:26

anonymetexasusa... I have been commenting on this website since 2001. I've stated previously my families history and political allegiances and now will completely show my cards by confirming that I am from Falougha. Half of my family is from hammana. We pride ourselves from the quality of our water. The best water, not just in Lebanon but the middle east. "Sohat" water is bottled from a spring in Falougha. The best water can be collected at the aian Falougha or aied el saedeh church water fountain. All water then falls towards hammana.

It's feared that the dam will affect the flow of water down to the village aian and to hammana. The Falougha mayor, Samir Ghanem, has fought hard to reserect Falougha and is safe to trust in his position on the dam.

Default-user-icon Sami (Guest) 23 October 2013, 20:43

I agree with ado.australia, I am from Falougha too and our Mayor is doing a great job, this Dam damn will not serve the Lebanese or our area, this dam will serve the Kuwaiti's, very soon we will be the minorities in Almaten.

Default-user-icon Sami (Guest) 23 October 2013, 20:45

This Dam will serve the Kuwati's and the Kuwaiti's alone, very soon we will be the minorities in our own country.

Missing un520 24 October 2013, 01:27

I would also like to get the pro and cons here. Ado finally gave us some cons, but what about the pros? Is it about saving water so that it is better distributed throughout the year? Is it about hydro-electric power? In either case, how will this negatively affect the quality of the water?

Default-user-icon Lb (Guest) 24 October 2013, 15:07

The return on investment is clear and already presented as the 2025 dream: a touristic city .. where what is now claimed a dam is turned into an artificial lake with activities on it and chalets and restaurants around it.. in what is a protected area... way to go ... go green Lebanon .. ruin your natural resources to build fake artificial ones... $$$$$$

Default-user-icon Eli in Aus (Guest) 24 October 2013, 01:59

What did the fish say when it swam into a wall?
DAMn
This article is as funny as my joke

Default-user-icon HAMMANA (Guest) 24 October 2013, 04:24

The only feasibility study for this 35 million USD project was made by world known expert DR. Qumair, Lebanon's water resources ministry's director general who resigned this year.

His assessment is this project is dangerous and not feasible. But his report is kept a 'classified secret' at the Lebanese government.

Wonder how and why the funding was approved.........

Default-user-icon LB (Guest) 24 October 2013, 10:09

So here it goes. The Kaysamani dam was planned years ago in the kaysamani region to help get water to villages (neither hammana nor falougha) down on the other side of the mountain where both villages are located.
For unfounded reasons, a year and a half ago, the dam was moved to Mghiteh which is a land owned by falougha but declared as a "protected area" to protect water of the chaghour fall (the main water source that feeds Hammana). THe protest is to move the dam away from the protected hydrological area of the water sources because the dam construction will contaminate the water. The flow of the chaghour will be deeply affected by the dam and the potential risk of flooding in case of dam failure will flood not only Hammana but several villages around. Dam should be moved back to original location

Default-user-icon LB (Guest) 24 October 2013, 14:58

Hi Ft, solutions and alternatives were proposed including smaller STP or wells in the benefiting villages, water supply from Chaghour but from the river overflow rather than from the source, relocating the dam ... and several others. But the problem is that with the lebanese mafias around there are always ulterior motives, and personal benefits, starting from land use, contracting, servicing and new "touristic" developments (to name a few...)

Default-user-icon LB (Guest) 24 October 2013, 17:47

Alternatives have been proposed: including
1-relocating the dam to its original location
2- drilling wells in benefiting villages (cost less and of course more beneficial)
3- establishing water treatment plants in villages and water collectors...
to name a few ...
fallen of course onto deaf ears...
these alternatives won't be of any benefit to the mafiaas :)

Default-user-icon LebaneseFree (Guest) 24 October 2013, 10:10

IT is an additional income fr Mr. Bassil...he has to do this so he will have additional $$billion income in his account, so he may buy additional Yacht or own plane...

Default-user-icon Raymond (Guest) 24 October 2013, 10:11

وعن الأضرار الناجمة عن إنشاء السد، يقول شاهين: "ما نخاف حصوله أنه في حال تعرّض حائط السد لهزة أرضية أو في حال شن أي عدوان حربي، فإن البلدة مهددة بالغرق، أما الأهم فهو أننا نخشى من نقصان منسوب مياه نبع الشاغور بنسبة 50%، ما يؤدي إلى تلوث المياه وتكاثر البكتيريا داخلها".

وتابع شاهين: "إن ساعات تقنين المياه حالياً هي 12 ساعة فقط، ففي حال خفّ منسوب المياه سترتفع ساعات التقنين إلى 20 ساعة، علماً أنهم يرجّحون أن تنخفض نسبة المياه 10% فقط، ولتبديد هذه الشكوك، سبق وطلبتُ من ممثل مجلس الإنماء والإعمار، أن يعيّن مكتباً ثالثاً ليفصل بين الدراستين (الوزارة والبلدية)، إلا أنه رفض".

إلى ذلك، أصدرت بلدية حمانا بياناً شرحت فيه الأسباب الكاملة والهواجس من إنشاء السد.

Default-user-icon LB- (Guest) 24 October 2013, 10:18

The dam project is an old project planned for the Kaysamani region Hammana/Falougha mountain top(hence the name: kaysamani) to feed villages (neither Hammana nor Falougha) downhill with water.
a year and a half ago the dam was moved to mghiteh a land owned by falougha but declared by the ministry of environment and the ministry of water sources as a 'protected area' to protect the ground water sources feeding the chaghour waterfall (main hammana water source). The protest is to move back the dam from the protected zone, as this will undoubtedly contaminate the ground water of the fall as well as the dam water (so it will not be potable) and the flow of the water source in chaghour will be considerably lower considering its main feeders are re-routed. There's also the fear of dam construction failure (especially considering the construction quality and services in our government) which will drown not only hammana but a wider area around the river flowing from the chaghour.

Default-user-icon LB (Guest) 24 October 2013, 17:45

THe dam will not benefit neither villages (Hammana or Falougha) in either location... so this is not the soul of the problem.
THe dam has been relocated according to the official version because if provides more water (of course considering that it will directly drill into a source) and that it would cost less (which is not the case) as the lands appropriated were appropriated at the old dam location for 100,000$ 7 years ago. More lands would now need to be appropriated aournd the new dam location (costing more to the government but of course benefiting individuals.) this is lebanon

Default-user-icon LB (Guest) 25 October 2013, 20:40

No problem..:)