Under-ground water goes 8 meters down in Herat

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Environment protection officials on Tuesday warned the under-ground water level in western Herat province had significantly decreased.

Nasir Ahmad Fazli, Environment Protection Agency (EPA) head for Herat province, expressed concern about water depletion at a press conference here.

Besides climate change impacts, unnecessary use of water particularly in the western zone caused the underground water level to decrease by eight meters, he said.

He warned the underground water level would further plummet if unnecessary use of water was not prevented. Fazli asked the central government to find a fundamental solution to water depletion.

Meanwhile, a number of Provincial Council members of Herat, said the government had no programs for controlling wastage of the underground water.

Noor Ahmad Haidari, a provincial council member, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the government should devise programs according to farming needs and prevent unnecessary usage of underground water.

He said pumping a large amount of water by solar powered machines on the Harirod River sides, overuse of water by farmers and lack of seasonal farming contributed to the decline in underground water.

Jilani Farhad, the governor’s spokesman, said the Ministry of Water and Energy had programs for preserving groundwater, but stressed the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) should also take steps in this regard.

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