Residents complain about water shortages in Tajikistan

Residents of the city of Bokhtar, the administrative center of the Khatlon region, claim that they have been suffering from a severe water shortage for four months, but no one is responding to their complaints.

On July 16, 2024, residents of Levakand Street in Bokhtar complained in a video that the residents of this area have been suffering from a lack of water for four months.

Meanwhile, representatives of the Bokhtar city administration announced on July 18 that drinking water would be shut off from 8:00 AM on July 18 until 10:00 AM on July 19, and urged residents to stock up on water.

Residents of the city of Kulyab are also complaining about a lack of water in the hot summer weather.

“When there is a river with drinking water just 2 kilometers from the city, and half the city is left without water, who is to blame – the government of the republic or the city authorities? Do you know such cities?” writes Kulyab resident Molik Musavi.

A resident of the capital has complained to the president about dirty drinking water in Dushanbe, posting several photos of a water purification filter in his home. The photos show that the filter is clogged with sand, dirt, and debris.

The problem of water shortage in the city of Bokhtar, the administrative center of the Khatlon region, is becoming increasingly acute. Meanwhile, the tributaries of the Vakhsh River flow through and near the city. If desired, the regional authorities could solve this problem for residents in a short time and at low cost. However, the authorities are aware of the residents’ problems but do not take timely measures to address them.

Residents of the city of Tursunzoda are also complaining about a lack of water during these hot summer days. In Tursunzoda, which is considered one of the hottest cities in Tajikistan, the absence or interruptions in water supply have significantly complicated life for residents.

Although Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon has been declaring for over two decades from various platforms about Tajikistan’s global initiatives to address drinking water shortages worldwide and claims to have “put the issue of water at the center of global negotiations,” he also recently participated in the third UN International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028,” residents of the capital and other cities and regions of Tajikistan continue to complain about a lack of drinking water.

Despite numerous complaints from residents, officials do not respond to the issues of water absence or shortage. In Tajikistan, where government positions are bought and sold, incompetent individuals are usually appointed to responsible positions, complicating the situation for residents. People do not trust the authorities, so they are forced to share all their problems and complaints on social media.