Snowfall in Afghanistan has been quite unusual this winter. According to anecdotal evidences, Afghanistan has had no such a winter in the past twenty years. At times when snow is perceived a blessing in countries like Afghanistan - where if there is no raining and snowing, there will be severe draught -, for Afghans living in camps and remote districtsof provinces like Daikundi, Badakhshan and Bamyan such snowfalls are no less than a curse.

Over twenty one people have died and dozens injured due to heavy snowfalls across the country, according to Afghanistan National Disaster Management Directorate. There are doubts that many deaths go unreported. Meanwhile, the farmers have not enough pastures to feed their cattle. That has caused hundreds of them to perish.

The heavy snowfalls over the last more than two months have cut access to many remote districts. Afghan government, World Food Program and other organizations have provided aids to vulnerable families. But these aids have been limited and have reached only people in centers of provinces. People living in remote districts of Bamyan, Daikundi, Badakhshan, Ghor and other provinces complain of receiving nohelp from government or any other organization. These people say they were not expecting such a winter and therefore have run out of food, fuel and other basic necessities.

With the billions of dollars aid poured in Afghanistan in the last ten years, our government could have built working strategies for managing emergency conditions and disasters. But due to rampant corruption, all the international aids have gone futile. Even the foods, clothing and other necessities procured for needy families to help them survive during the winters are distribute to people with good contacts and recommendations or simply sold off in open markets by corruption government officials.
With so many life-threatening problems people face due to snowfalls, the g

vernment is not paying any serious attention. The Afghanistan National Disaster Management Directorate has been inefficient, inactive and symbolic. Same is the case with other concerned ministries. The calls for help of people trapped due to snowfalls are hitting deaf ears as the Karzai administration is busy doing its politics.