Khan Charbagh residents deprived of basic social services for decades

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Some residents of Khan Charbagh district of northwestern Faryab province have complained about their deprivation from the primary urban and social services of living despite billions of afghanis poured into the state treasure in the form of revenue from the Aqina Port.

They said the government earned billions of afs annually generated in the form of revenue from the Aqina Port and its territory but its people were deprived of basic urban necessities.

Khan Charbagh was promoted to the district 30 years ago but still it has no clean drinking water, up to the standard agriculture, road, townships, municipality, market, hospital and clinic.

Local officials also acknowledged the problems faced by the residents of Khan Charbagh and asked the leadership of Faryab province and officials in the center to implement the master urban plan, provide drinking water, upgrade the clinic to a comprehensive center and provide work for the residents of Khancharbagh.

Mohammad Ismael Nazari, head of the Khan Charbagh Development Council, told Pajhwok Afghan News Every year, billions of afghani revenue poured into the government’s treasury through the commercial port of Aqina and land of Khancharbagh, but the people of this district live in poverty and deprivation.

He said after 30 years of becoming a district, there was one BHC clinic in the district that provide services for eight hours daily and in off time patients, including pregnant women, went to Ankhoai district for treatment.

He said: “Clean drinking water is not available and people have to buy one bag of drinking water against 10 afs, Farmers and herders suffered in the recent droughts, until now the reason was the lack of a market, people used to get their necessities from the district and this problem was partially solved a few months ago with the announcement of one day market in a week.”

He added the government should at least spent10 percent of the total revenue from Bandar Aqina and Khancharbagh land for the development of the district and the implementation of the urban master plan, the construction of hospitals and the provision of health services, the provision of drinking water, the improvement of the quality of education, and for the support of farmers.

Haibat Murad, a local influential elder, said that the residents of Khan Charbagh were poor and faced economic problems but the greater problem they faced was the non-availability of drinking water and the price of a bag of water was from five to 10 afs.

Abdul Rahman, another resident of Khan Charbagh district, said The Aqina port which produced huge revenue belonged to this district but its people were poor and financially unsound.

Mustafa Qoul, who sold drinking water, said for the past 11 years he was doing this business, he daily sold up to 200 bags of drinking water. Each bag has 20 liters of water.

Some residents have expressed happiness over the organization of one day market and said earlier they had to travel to Andkhoi district for shopping.

Abdul Shakour, 60, who sells Bollani, was happy about the opening of a market on Tuesday in Khan Charbagh district.

He said up to 100 Bollani he could sell during the market day and earned up to 500 afs through which he could support his family.

Damullah Framuddin, deputy administrative head of Khan Charbagh, acknowledged public problems and said Khan Charbagh is a remote district the people of which were deprived of basic services.

He said the residents of Khan Charbagh district did not have access to drinking water, agriculture and health services and they had to purchase drinking water

He said the district has no municipality structure and no market, its people have to purchase necessary commodities from Andkhoai district.

Recently, one day market is opened weekly which helped address their problems to some extent.

He asked the leadership of the province and officials in the center to take seriously the problems of the people in the field of drinking water, hospitals, master urban plan and approve the formation of the municipality considering the geographical location of Khan Charbagh district and the revenue-rich port and trade area to take so that collective justice is ensured.

Public Health Director Fazal Hadi Farooqi also acknowledged public complaints about health services and said Khan Charbagh has a BHC clinic which did not has the capacity to address the health issues of the entire population in the district.

He said the solution was that local BHC clinic should be upgraded.

Governor Spokesperson Mufti Esmatullah Muradi said the people of Khancharbagh district are suffering due to the lack of drinking water, standard health centers, municipal structures, employment centers and insulated roads.

He, however, said efforts were underway to strictly follow the existing problems at every level and make sure that in the near future these people are provided with necessary social services.

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