Chamtal residents face severe infrastructure, service shortages

KABUKL (TOLOnews): Residents of Chamtal district in Balkh expressed concern over lack of access to basic life services.
The lack of standard roads, access to health services, clean drinking water, and electricity are among the serious challenges facing the inhabitants of this district. They said that due to the lack of a proper market, they are forced to go to the city of Mazar-e Sharif to buy anything they need.
“The road is very bad; it takes us two hours. We neither have a proper city nor a proper life here, and I myself go to the city to bring goods here for sale,” said Najmuddin, a shopkeeper in Chamtal.
“We suffer a lot from the lack of a market. We go to the city spending too much to buy very minor needs,” said Mohammad Aref, a resident of Chamtal.
“If we had a market, we would definitely get what we need from here and not have to set up a home and come to Mazar-e-Sharif,” said Hafizullah, another resident of Chamtal.
Chamtal district, located 43 kilometers from the city of Mazar-e Sharif, has been isolated from developmental projects due to conflicts in recent years.
Meanwhile, the district governor of Chamtal assures attention to these challenges. Noorullah Homam, the district governor of Chamtal, said: “We have shared this challenge with all authorities, whether it is the command or intelligence, and we have designed the market plan, but it takes some time.” Chamtal district is home to nearly 90 villages and over 200,000 people, most of whom are engaged in agriculture and livestock.