KABUL (SW) – Officials from the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) say that this agency has implemented a six-month winter policy to reduce air pollution in Kabul and four other central provinces.
This policy consists of three stages which the first stage involves coordination with government departments, the second stage is to raise public awareness about the dangers of air pollution, and the third stage involves monitoring the sources of pollution in the environment.
Tufan Jubran, head of air pollution control at the NEPA, said that with the implementation of this policy, air pollution in Kabul will be reduced. He adds: “The second stage of this policy is information dissemination, which is carried out through the media, brochures, and posters to communicate with the public. The final part includes strict monitoring of sources of pollution from high-rise buildings, commercial baths, and other places in five other provinces.”
Low-quality fuel for vehicles and burning coal, plastic, and rubber in residential homes are major sources of air pollution in Kabul.
Some citizens are urging the de-facto government to reduce fuel prices and ensure a continuous electricity supply for households to help reduce air pollution.
Musa, a resident of Kabul, says that due to the inability to afford fuel costs, they are forced to burn plastic in the winter. “We have no choice but to burn plastic, paper, and cardboard to warm our house. I ask the government to help us or create job opportunities for us.”
Farhad, another Kabul resident, says: “If there is no firewood, we are forced to use paper and plastic to get through the winter. We want electricity and cheap gas so that people can be free from these problems.”
Similarly, some environmental experts mention the presence of old vehicles, high-rise buildings, brick kilns, and industrial parks as key contributors to air pollution in Kabul.
Mustafa Ahmadzai, an environmental expert, says that serious actions must be taken to prevent air pollution. “Industrial factories produce excessive smoke and contain gases that can increase air pollution; filters should be installed, and monitoring should be conducted to reduce air pollution levels,” he emphasized.
On the other hand, other experts are calling for the de-facto government to provide clean energy to citizens to reduce the air pollution caused by low-quality fuels.
Sayed Mohammad Sulaimankhil, another environmental expert, says: “We should keep the prices of oil, gas, and other relatively clean fuels stable so that people can stop using polluting materials.”
Air pollution is one of the major challenges faced by citizens in Kabul and other large cities, leading to deaths and various respiratory and skin diseases every year.
