Three months in a row already an acute dearth of drinking water is sustained in Kulob. Water is not delivered at all the southern part of the town. Today it resembles much of pre-revolutionary village: everyday from dawn to dusk strings of donkeys with flasks are dragging from one part of the town to another along central streets; women and children with pails following them. More enterprising people arranged water wells in their yards out of iron and concrete or installed 5-tons-receptacles. Having paid from 15 to 20 somoni for one cyctern they keep water in the course of 10 days. By the way, medical workers can’t exclude that same “spare water” not infrequently to be a source of infectious diseases - malaria, typhus, dysentery, tuberculosis which don’t yield to eradication in Kulob. It is high time the bell were tolled but you gather the impression that the leadership of the town is not worried with it at all.
Drinking water does not suffice. What is the matter?
- The principal reasons of drinking water deficiency, - says Mirali Sharipov, chief of Kulob filial of water canalization, - is non-availability of naturally flowing sources, so, drinking water is used for irrigation; into the bargain, pumping station and running water circuits built in the 50-60-ies of the previous century have worn out by 80-90 percent. They need reconstruction and should be restored ahead of all the rest. In addition, one centrifugal pump in the central reservoir of high pressure has burned and the southern part of the town remains without water. “But still that is not the main thing, - M. Sharipov goes on. - For the last decade new residential quarters were erected within the town, there are over 1000 households with premises, this facts accounts mostly for water lack. However, both the Hukumat and architectural department when meting out land plots for building dwellings forgot about running water circuit. So, the inhabitants of these new populated settlements connected their terrains unwarrantedly to running water lines having lowered water pressure in old districts. By the way, recently this question was discussed in the Hukumat, we hope this problem will be settled in the nearest days”.
As M. Sharipov told, the problem of drinking water supply remains a global assignment for the urban Hukumat. The Watercanal management jointly with the Hukumat designed the plan of construction and restoration of pumping stations and running water circuits costing over 4 million USA dollars; the project being submitted to the commission on holiday objects erection in honor of the 2700-th anniversary of Kulob.
The rumors rejoiced Kulob citizens at first. But it was only a project. Today it is unable to appease the thirst of people. People ceased complaining, they don’t believe to officials and leadership any more. They ironize openly over the fact that Tajikistan having been an initiator of proclaiming 2003 as the Year of pure water conducts the international forum on this theme in its capital and the people of the country suffers form thirst using turbid water not conforming with sanitary norms.