JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Seven small water reservoirs are being constructed in five districts of eastern Nangarhar province to combat drought, the River Basin Department said on Sunday.
Officials say they are persuading the private sector to invest in the dams’ construction because they do not have a specific budget for the scheme.
Syed Ahad Pacha, director of the Nangarhar River Basin, told Pajhwok Afghan News a survey had been launched in districts to determine the level of groundwater to prevent drought. He says efforts are being made to build small dams in five districts to store natural water.
“In order to control the flow of natural and spring water, there is one dam in Hesarak district, two dams in Sherzad, one dam in Pachiragam and two dams in Haska Mena district,” he said.
According to the river basin director, all but a few districts in Nangarhar have been hit by drought, which has also affected the wheat crop.
He said that out of 22 districts of Nangarhar, except Behsud, Koz Kunar, Kama, Goshta and Batikot districts, all other districts were facing drought.
“All the districts above the Kabul River are facing drought. Our seasonal water used to come from Spin Ghar on the 25th of Kab month, but this year it came a month later and now finished.”
In order to solve this problem, Pacha said they had launched a survey to find out the underground water table and how to solve this problem.
On the other hand, the residents of Nangarhar praised the initiative of the river basin, but said that the survey alone should not be enough and practical steps should be taken.
Naqibullah, a farmer in Rodat district, told Pajhwok Afghan News his wheat yield was much lower than last year and his maize had also not grown well. He called on the government to build dams in mountainous areas to prevent drought.
The drought in Nangarhar has led to a 25 percent decrease in wheat yields this year and farmers are already worried about the maize crop.
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