TALUQAN (SW) – Takhar in the northeast of Afghanistan is a province rich in gold minerals, but the irregular extraction of this precious metal in Takhar has been claiming dozens of lives annually.
The shores of the Amu River and the Kokcha River are also a source of fine gold, where thousands of people are engaged in mining using hand tools.
Amir Mohammad, a resident of Takhar, told Salam Watandar that when the Sun rises, he goes out of the house with a shovel and a pickaxe and tries to get gold particles by digging the slopes of the river in this province. He said that in one working day, he can earn only 500 to 600 afghanis.
“No company or factory exist here that is why everyone has turned to gold mining due to unemployment. Without the income from these mines, there is a possibility that a number of poor people will perish in this cold weather.”
According to Amir Mohammad, a number of gold miners sometimes sink to a depth of 25 meters when digging the ground that causes nearly 100 people to die in this province every year.
Previously, a number of private companies in Takhar were engaged in gold mining, and according to officials, nearly 40,000 people were working in these companies.
Habib al-Rahman, the manager of one of these companies in Takhar, said that due to the suspension of operation by the companies, they suffer a lot of financial losses. “Now, about 45 thousand people are unemployed.”
However, the local authorities of Takhar say that due to the unprofessional extraction of gold mines in this province, the activities of the companies have been temporarily stopped.
Abdul Naser Haqqani, head of Takhar mines department, said that due to lack of professionalism and technical skills, the extraction work at the miners in Takhar was stopped by the Ministry of Mines and it is still stopped due to the lack of proper procedures. Now the code of procedure has been prepared and sent to the Economic Council, after the signing of the Economic Council, the goldsmithing companies will be entrusted with the contract.”
ENDS
