The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) has once again warned about the shortage of drinking water in Afghanistan, stating that 21 million people in the country are in need of water, sanitation, and health-related assistance.
Stephanie Loose, the head of UN-Habitat, emphasized that Afghanistan still requires large-scale investments in water infrastructure.
She said, “Major cities like Kandahar, like Kabul, like Herat are facing water scarcity because their ground waters are being depleted. The UN on several occasions have flagged this and it’s very clear that huge scale investments need to be taken.”
Meanwhile, some residents of Kabul and Herat have also complained about the lack of drinking water in their areas and are urging the government to take the issue seriously.
“People in many areas have no water and are forced to buy it. We ask the government to address this issue,”said Gul Ahmad, a resident of Kabul.
“People should conserve water to prevent the crisis from worsening,” stated Ghulam Mohammad, a resident of Herat.
The Ministry of Energy and Water has announced that, in collaboration with the Ministries of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, and Rural Rehabilitation and Development, more than 400 water reservoirs have been constructed and made operational.
“With the joint efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, significant steps have been taken to mitigate the water crisis,” stated Matiullah Abid, spokesperson for the ministry.
Earlier, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also reported on World Water Day that 33 million people in Afghanistan are facing water scarcity.