The initial works under the anti-erosion project for the protection of the Pusta reka river watershed, funded by the European Union and the Swiss Government through the development programme European PROGRES with EUR 200,000, started today with the construction of the anti-erosion structure in the watershed of this river in the municipality of Bojnik, with a view to protecting the local population and their property against potential flooding. The project, implemented in cooperation with the Public Water Management Company Srbijavode (Serbia Waters) – Water Management Centre Morava, Niš, includes the construction of six anti-erosion structures on critical sections in the municipality of Bojnik, five in the territory of Prokuplje Municipality, while anti-erosion structures are also to be built on two locations in the municipality of Lebane.
Because of the fact that the riverbed of the Pusta reka river has not been regulated, and due to heavy rainfall, this left tributary of the Južna Morava river has often spilt over its banks, threatening the population of the municipalities of Bojnik, Lebane and Prokuplje and flooded agricultural land, mostly in the spring and autumn. The floods that befell Serbia in 2014 and caused substantial damage have also highlighted the problem of insufficient investment in preventive measures, and therefore the European Union and the Swiss Government have supported these activities by European PROGRES to prevent spillages of the Pusta reka river.
„The construction of anti-erosion structures has already proven to be an effective system of flood protection in the case of the Raska River and its tributaries, because they saved the city of Novi Pazar from floods in 2014 and 2016. Our intention is to apply the same method to protect the population of the municipalities of Bojnik, Lebane and Prokuplje, as well as to encourage other local self-governments to invest in preventive flood protection measures in order to preserve not only the property but also the environment," said Milan Kolašinac, Manager of the European PROGRES Infrastructure Sector.
The completion of the construction works is expected by the end of the year, weather conditions permitting.
