Ghor Residents Complain About Shortages Of Safe Drinking Water

(MENAFN- Pajhwok Afghan News) FEROZKOH (Pajhwok): Some residents of Allah Yar district in western Ghor province are complaining about the lack of access to clean drinking water, while officials say efforts are underway to tackle the problem.

A Pajhwok Afghan News reporter interviewed residents from Ghargardak, Abkhaza, Paychiga, Chashmahok, Khushdara, Qalqan, Khakestarak, Khairkhana, Chashmbid, Qadoq, Espiq, Kamzarad and Doshakhi villages of the district. They described the scarcity of safe drinking water as their main problem and called for urgent action.

Residents voice concerns

Mohammad Ibrahim, a 34-year-old resident of Chashmabid village, said several villages, including his own, faced severe hardships in accessing clean drinking water and were living under harsh conditions.

He said:“We travel for hours every day on animals to fetch water from distant springs, whether in winter or summer. This is extremely difficult for children and women.”

He added that there was no clean water in his village and he could not afford to dig deep wells, while water from wells used by others was salty and undrinkable.

According to him, digging a single well costs between 20,000 and 25,000 afghanis, forcing most residents to rely on distant springs for drinking water.

Mohammad Ibrahim said his wife had developed kidney problems after consuming salty water, leading to high medical expenses.

He continued:“We have repeatedly requested the Rural Rehabilitation and Development Department and aid agencies to install a piped water system in our village, but so far no action has been taken. The wells contain salty water and are undrinkable. We are forced to bring drinking water from springs four to five hours away, without knowing whether it is safe; we use it simply because it tastes better.”

He added that, in the past, natural spring water used to reach their area for drinking and irrigation, but over the past ten years, the springs no longer reached the villages.

Abdul Qadir Faisal, a resident of Khakestarak village, raised similar concerns and criticised the previous government for failing to address the safe drinking water problem despite repeated requests to various authorities.

He said that, besides his village, Ghargardak, Paychiga, Chashmahok, Khushdara, Qalqan, Khairkhana, Chashmabid, Qadoq, Espiq, Kamzarad and Doshakhi were also struggling with severe water shortages.

“Most residents of these villages are forced to travel six to eight hours through mountainous paths and valleys to fetch water, using animals. Women, men, teenage girls and boys all share this hardship,” he said, urging officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), aid agencies and charitable organisations to take practical steps to resolve the issue.

Hafizullah, a resident of Khairkhana village, echoed the plea:“Our only request from the government and aid organisations is to address our water shortage. Our women and children drink contaminated water and are often ill, suffering from diarrhoea or skin problems. We spend much of our time searching for water.”

Experts warn of health risks

Dr Fazl

Haq Farjad, a staff member at the provincial hospital, said long-term consumption of contaminated and salty water could cause serious health issues.

He added:“Using salty and polluted water is dangerous for children, women, the elderly and the general public. It weakens the body's resistance to disease, causing diarrhea, stomach pain and kidney problems.”

He emphasised that access to safe drinking water, digging deep wells, establishing sustainable water supply networks and applying water purification methods, such as boiling, were essential measures to reduce water-borne diseases.

Ahmadullah Kakar, a social activist in the province, said the challenge was not limited to Allah Yar district but existed in other areas as well.

He described the shortage of safe drinking water as a result of repeated droughts and the previous government's failure to provide piped water systems.

“Serious attention must be given to resolving this problem. Establishing sustainable water supply networks in vulnerable areas can prevent humanitarian and environmental disasters, as well as the spread of diseases,” he said.

Officials say efforts underway

Zabihullah Ghawsizada, spokesman for the Rural Rehabilitation and Development Department, said that with support from the World Bank, UNICEF, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), World Vision and other organisations, 72 water supply network projects had been implemented across districts of the province this year, providing more than 17,000 people with access to safe and clean water.

He added:“These organisations have completed most of the essential water supply projects. The cost of the 72 projects was 309,085,176 afghanis. We have always strived, and will continue to strive, to ensure that all people have access to clean and safe water.”

Ghawsizada also noted that requests from 32 villages across various districts, including Allah Yar, had been shared with relevant officials in Kabul and aid organisations.

kk/sa

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