BAMYAN (PAN): Residents of the inaccessible Daikundi province pointed out dilapidated roads, lack of reconstruction projects, growing insecurity and joblessness were their main problems.
Despite getting status of a province, the mountainous Daikundi has not even a single paved road.
The people of Daikundi transport their goods and travel in tractors and Lorries because its roads are not able for plying of new and advanced passengers’ vehicles.
In some localities, people even prefer to travel on horses and donkeys because driving vehicles on the roads is impossible.
Mohammad Ali, a driver who travels on Kabul- Daikundi highway said: “It takes two days to reach to Kabul from Daikundi.
Daikundi has around 480 kilometres away from Kabul which normally takes more than 30 hours. Besides waste of time, bumpy roads cause high costs of goods and even locals suffer casualties.
Ghulam Ali, another resident of Daikundi said he witnessed five vehicles overturned in a single day which resulted in the death of ten people with injuries to many others including women and children.
The narrow width of the gravelling roads and excessive turning points lead passenger vehicles to fall into deep ravine, Ali added.
Local authorities acknowledged zero reconstruction activities were carried out by the concerned quarters.
Asadullah Saadati, an MP from Daikundi said unfortunately no budget was allocated for paving roads in his province, adding that residents were suffering because of multi-dimensional problems.
“We have time and again registered our complaints with the central authorities to help pave Daikundi roads but budget cannot be allocated for the development projects,” he said, adding lack of government attention to develop the province in terms of reconstruction left the Daikundi backward.
Dr. Mohammad Reja, chief editor of Radio Voice of Neili said as there was no security problem in the province that was why the government was ignoring Daikundi.
Habibullah, a local elder in Neili said government was holding out false promises to start reconstruction work in the province. He said most of the projects were launched three to four times but stopped after a while due to unknown reasons.
The 100-bed hospital was inaugurated by Sayyed Amin Fatimi, former public health minister in 2008 but the foundation stone of the same hospital was laid by the minister again next year, he added.
He said currently the hospital had closed because of unknown reasons, and probably it would be inaugurated for the third time.
Habibullah said for the first time, construction of the secondary road of Daikundi was started in 2009, for the second time in 2010 but currently the work on the roads has been stopped and possibly it will be started again for the third time.
He questioned why the government started the implement of projects for which there was not enough fund and if funds were available then why they did not start the project.
On the other hand, thousand of youths have immigrated to neighboring countries due lack of job opportunities and absence of industrial factories at home, he added.
Mohammad Eisa, a resident of Dasht-e-Neili whose two sons are working in Iran says: “I have one-and-a-half acre lands on which I planted almond. The product is not sufficient to feed my large family, and out of compulsion, I sent my two sons to Iran to earn money.”
If there is job opportunities at home then why he would have sent his sons to Iran, he added.
The people and the provincial council members said the work done during the past 12 years was insufficient. Education, health and agriculture departments face many problems and the government should adopt measures to launch development activities in greater interests of the people.
Hussain Ali Montazeri, a member of provincial council said nearly 70% students were deprived of school buildings one the one hand while on the other, farmers were facing immense problems because of the old and traditional agriculture system. The condition of roads was pathetic.
He said Daikundi did not benefit from international community and International donors’ aids during the last decade, adding no attention had been paid to develop the agriculture, health, education, road and electricity sectors.
“The traditional ways being used in agriculture has influcted heavy losses losses on farmers’ community,” he added.
Khair Mohammad Fayyaz, a cultural activist said some of the government buildings and departments were under construction but the important economic infrastructures such as electricity power plants, dams, industrial factories, airfield and asphalted roads were neglected.
According to an official report of Oxfam, the economic and livelihood condition of eight provinces in Afghanistan were critical in which Daikundi was on top of the list.
“In my opinion the situation in Daikundi in terms of development is getting worst,” he added.