Most Daikundi residents thirsting for potable water

NEILI (Pajhwok): Some residents of central Daikundi province complain about lack of potable water, while officials say 40 percent of locals have access to the precious resource.

Locals say much of the water they consume is unhealthy and causes various diseases. They want the government to resolve the problem on priority.

Qudrat, an inhabitant of Sangi Takht district, told Pajhwok Afghan News they had been using contaminated water for drinking due to lack of wells and fountains in the area.

He said: “Our house is very far from a fountain and we could not fetch water from it except in spring and summer.”

He asked the government to dig up water wells for them because they could not afford to do so on their own due to economic hardships.

Anwar, an inhabitant of Neili, also grumbled about the shortage of clean drinking water and called for the authorities to address the problem.

He said a large number of people did not have access to potable water. The use of unfit water had caused various diseases, he added.

“Most of the wells in the city have dried up, forcing people to purchase water. Tankers do  not supply healthy water and thus contribute  to public health hazards.”

On other hand, local officials acknowledge about 60 percent of residents do not have access to potable water.

Syed Noor, an official of Rural Rehabilitation and Development Department, told Pajhwok according to a survey, only 40 percent of people were using clean drinking water.

He said most of the people had access to potable water previously, but the resource became scarce in the recent years due to drought.

He claimed his department had implemented different projects with financial support from partner institutions during the past one year to resolve the problem.

kk/mud