Nearly 80Pc Of Kabul Residents Rely On Wells Amid Water Crisis: UNAMA

(MENAFN- Pajhwok Afghan News) KABUL (Pajhwok): The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) says nearly 80 percent of residents in the capital, Kabul, rely on water wells for their daily needs.

However, almost half of these vital sources have dried up, with groundwater levels declining each year.

March 22 has been designated by the United Nations as World Water Day to raise awareness about the importance of water and to promote sustainable management of water resources worldwide.

In a statement marking the day, UNAMA said Kabul was facing a growing water crisis amid severe drought affecting large parts of Afghanistan.

“Nearly 80 percent of city residents rely on wells for daily water needs, but almost half of these vital sources have dried up and groundwater levels continue to decline year by year,” the statement said.

The mission noted that access to safe water had become both difficult and costly for many families.

“Some households now spend up to 30 percent of their monthly income on water, while women and children stand in queues for hours or travel long distances to fetch it. A problem once limited to the outskirts now affects the entire city,” it added.

UNAMA said the crisis was driven by a combination of climate change, prolonged drought, rapid and unplanned urban growth and poor water management, pushing the situation to a critical point.

“World Water Day is a reminder that access to safe water is a fundamental human right, yet for many Kabul residents, accessing this right is becoming harder each day,” the statement noted.

Meanwhile, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) head in Afghanistan said on Sunday that 2.1 million people in the country had gained access to safe water last year.

Last year, an economic commission approved plans to identify new revenue opportunities expected to add around 60 billion afghanis to the national budget in the long term.

The meeting also endorsed a project to transfer water from Panjshir to Kabul to help address the city's water shortages.

kk/sa

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