The agriculture ministry bans using potable water to clean vehicles, water inexperienced areas and clear streets and public locations in addition to agricultural use.
(AA)
Tunisia has launched
a quota system for potable water and banned its use in
agriculture till September 30 in response to a extreme drought that
has hit the nation.
Tunisia, which is struggling a fourth straight yr of
severe drought, recorded a drop in its dam capability to round 1
billion cubic metres, or 30 p.c of the utmost, because of a shortage
of rain from September 2022 to mid-March 2023, senior
agriculture ministry official Hamadi Habib stated on Friday.
The agriculture ministry additionally banned using potable
water to clean vehicles, water inexperienced areas and clear streets and
public locations.
Violators face a positive and imprisonment for a
interval of between six days to 6 months, in accordance with the Water
Legislation.
Residents stated that Tunisian authorities have for the final
two weeks been chopping off consuming water at evening in some areas
of the capital and different cities in a bid to chop consumption, a
transfer that has sparked widespread anger.
The federal government declined
to touch upon the declare.
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‘Disastrous’ grain harvest
The brand new resolution threatens to gasoline social rigidity in a
nation whose individuals undergo from poor public companies, excessive
inflation and a weak economic system.
The Sidi Salem Dam within the north of the nation, a key
supplier of consuming water to a number of areas, has declined to
solely 16 p.c of its most capability of 580 million cubic meters,
official figures confirmed.
Tunisia’s grain harvest can be “disastrous”, with the drought-hit crop declining to 200,000-250,000 tonnes this yr from 750,000 tonnes in 2022, senior farmers union official Mohamed Rjaibia stated on Thursday.
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Supply: TRTWorld and businesses