Agricultural wells banned in Sar-i-Pul as underground water recedes

SAR-I-PUL (Pajhwok): The Agriculture Department of northern Sar-i-Pul province on Wednesday announced it had formed a committee to prevent the digging of agricultural water wells blamed for plummeting underground water level.

Qari Abdul Qadir Wahdat director of agricultural, irrigation and livestock, told Pajhwok Afghan News that after complaints of people and government departments about the lowering of underground water, it was decided that a committee should be established to control agricultural wells and install meters on such wells.

He added the committee held its maiden meeting yesterday and decided to ban the drilling of agricultural wells until further notice.

He also said it was decided that owners of agricultural wells had no right to sell water to other people. Those arbitrarily digging deep wells would be dealt with legally.

He said: “This decision will affect most farmers, but we have to control the digging of such wells in public interest to avoid the shortage of drinking water in future.”

Wahdat said the committee’s decision would be conveyed to the people and farmers through imams of mosques and the national television.

He also said other rules would be included in the agenda of the committee’s next meetings if required to control agricultural water wells.

Sirajuddin, a farmer in Sayed Abad district, said: “We agree that the use of underground water for irrigation of crops is wrong and will cause a shortage of drinking water in future, but farmers have no choice. We ask the government to do something in this regard.”

He added farmers worked hard in their fields to earn an income and support their families.

He said not allowing farmers to sell well water to people would deprive them of income.

Mohammad, another farmer of Sayed Abad district, said that installing meters on agricultural wells was not fair because electricity meters already existed in their wells and the bills were paid to the power utility after every two months.

He added: “Now if another meter is installed, we don’t have enough income to pay for another meter. We ask the government to reconsider this plan.”

sa/ma

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