Neilli residents want contaminated water issue addressed

NEILLI (Pajhwok): Some residents of Nelli, the capital of central Daikundi province have complained against contamination of drinking water and asked the concerned authorities address the problem.

According to the resident the wells water have contaminated due to below the standard sewage absorption wells.

They said some families have constructed below the standard wells sewage absorption wells due to which the clean drinking water had contaminated.

Ali Rahimi, the resident of Neilli City, told Pajhwok Afghan News most people have dug below the standard sewage absorption wells due to which most wells of drinking water had contaminated.

He said the issue was often shared with the owners of houses and relevant government authorities but no action has been taken.

He said: “Unfortunately, non-standard septic wells in some areas, such as Vahdat settlement, inside the urban master plan and around the urban master plan are absorption wells and it has created a lot of problems for the rest of the people.”

Rahimi als said that in the city of Nili, people are facing a shortage of drinking water and many wells have dried up, but they are worried that some wells where water is available are also contaminated.

“We request the authorities and owners of the houses in Nili-Jeda city to solve this problem and save the people from the worries and problems caused by the water contamination,” he said.

Officials at the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said the color, taste and smell of drinking water in Daikundi has 80 percent deteriorated.

Arif Sediqi, Public Relation and Awareness Department Director, told Pajhwok Afghan News they received public complaints regarding water contamination, public relations had been addressed and awareness was provided to them.

He said it has been explained to everyone that inside and outside the master plan, they should build standard septic wells and not build absorption wells.

He said Currently, about 90% of the houses inside the master plan have septic wells, and outside the master plan, about 20% have standard septic wells, and the rest are absorption wells.

“According to people’s complaints and to the appearance, color, smell and taste of the water, the majority of the neighborhoods that have absorption wells, their water is contaminated.”

Sidiqi said that the EPA has provided awareness and maps to the resident on the basis of which they could dig affordable septic wells.

He also said that efforts were underway to adopt a reasonable policy in order to address this problem.

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