Residents of Mandisar village in Daman district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, are facing a severe shortage of clean drinking water, as the daily life and agriculture of the local population have been severely affected by the decrease in groundwater level by 20 to 40 meters.
According to Afghan media outlet Tolo News, due to the continuous decrease in water level, the residents of the village are facing difficulties in obtaining clean drinking water, while agricultural activities are also being affected. Water shortage and irrigation problems have been reported in the southern regions of Afghanistan before.
Local elders say that the water shortage is no longer limited to agriculture, but has also made domestic needs and general life difficult. Village elders Juma Gul and Mohammad Sadiq demanded immediate attention from the authorities and said that the most urgent need of the area is the provision of clean drinking water.
According to locals, due to the significant decline in groundwater levels, they are having to go deeper to fetch water, which has further increased the problems of families with limited resources. The water shortage is also having a direct impact on farming and there is a risk of agricultural production being affected.
Residents have demanded that the government and relevant authorities take immediate steps to provide clean water to the area and find new sources of water. In Afghanistan, work is underway on small and large dams in different areas to improve water management and increase reserves, while projects to build small reservoirs have been started in some districts of Kandahar.
The second major demand of the residents of Mandisar is the repair of severely affected roads in the area. According to local elders, dilapidated roads have increased transportation difficulties, and the people of the area are facing difficulties even for their daily needs.
Local elders, including Juma Gul and Mohammad Sadiq, urged the authorities to resolve the water and road issues on a priority basis so that the people of the area can get basic amenities.
Water scarcity is becoming a major problem in various parts of Afghanistan. Experts and officials have previously warned that the agriculture sector and other important sectors could face further difficulties if more investment is not made in water reserves and better management of groundwater.
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