Call for strategy to limit use of underground water

SAR-I-PUL CITY (Pajhwok): Some civil society activist in northern Sar-i-Pul province have complained against the uncontrolled use of underground water and warned that if a proper strategy in this regard was not put in placed the next generations will not find water for drinking.

Farmers in Sar-i-Pul province also said that government should create dams and ensure the availability of water for their crops.

They said the underground water level was going down each day and its cost was also rising.

Civil Society Activist Syed Arif Hussaini told Pajhwok Afghan News uncontrolled use of underground water will have future consequences and the next generations will not be able to find drinking water.

“We want the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to create small dams in the province to prevent the use of underground water,” he said.

Farmer also considered the use of river water or dams economical for themselves as the cost of the use of underground water was rising.

Barat Ali, another civil society activist, said the uncontrolled use of underground water force all drinking water wells to dry up.

He also asked the government to stop the digging of deep wells so that people are not faced with problems in the future.

Naseem, a farmer from the Syedabad area of Sar-i-Pul City, said: “We use underground water due because there is not water in the river. If government make dam and provide water to us we will be happy and would use is for irrigation.”

Bora, another farmer from Sar-i-Pul City, said: “We are farmers and we have to do farming, the use of solar energy to get water is expensive so we want the government to make a strategy in this regard and provide water to the farmers.”

Qari Rohullah, head of the River Zone Division, acknowledge the worries of Sar-i-Pul farmers and other official in connection with the water issue and said the Ministry of Energy and Water was working on a plan after the implementation of which the uncontrolled use of water will be stopped.

nh

Visits: 215