(MENAFN- Pajhwok Afghan News)
GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Residents of southeastern Paktia province are concerned about spiking firewood prices this winter and say they cannot afford to buy it
They say the government and charitable organizations should help them buy firewood to heat their homes as many children have contracted pneumonia due to severe cold.
Sahib Gul, who lives in a rented house in capital Gardez,, told Pajhwok firewood prices had increased beyond people's purchasing power. He said all children in his family had contracted pneumonia due to freezing temperatures.
He said after paying his house rent of nine months, he could not afford to buy fuel to warm his bed roon,
“All the children in my house have pneumonia, but I lack enough money to buy anything else, so we are facing many problems.”
Similarly, Abdullah, another resident of Gardez city, said weather was cold in Gardez and they could not afford to buy fuel to heat their homes.
A number of other residents also made similar statements and called for cooperation from the government and aid agencies in this regard.
Similarly, Shingul, a firewood seller in Paktia, told Pajhwok prices of firewood increased after a ban was imposed on bringing firewood from mountains.
He said that last year, a kharb of firewood was sold for 8,000 afghanis, but this year its price increased to 11,000 afghanis.
He added that a ton of coal was being sold for 13,500 afghanis, showing no much different from last year's price.
On the other hand, Sawab Jan Islamyar, head of Paktia's Information and Culture Department, said that the provincial administration was trying to help poor families.
He expressed confidence that through cooperation of partner institutions, necessary assistance will be provided to poor families in the form of winter and humanitarian aid.
He said need for firewood increases in cold winters in Paktia, so they conducted a survey to help needy families with fuel, food and clothing.
Residents of a number of other provinces have already complained about the increase in fuel prices.
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