Pollution Watch

The authorities in National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) are drawing a link between Kabul’s terrible pollution levels and rise in cancer.

Abdul Wakil Parwani, head of the city’s Ibne Sina Emergency Hospital, says patients admitted with serious respiratory problems have tripled in the last few years,

The authorities in National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) are drawing a link between Kabul’s terrible pollution levels and rise in cancer.

Abdul Wakil Parwani, head of the city’s Ibne Sina Emergency Hospital, says patients admitted with serious respiratory problems have tripled in the last few years, particularly in the winter months when air pollution worsens with people using adulterated oil and wood to keep them warm.

Afghanistan ranks 165 out of 174 countries surveyed in 2014 for air quality. NEPA head Noor Mohammad Zamani says levels of poisonous sulphur dioxide are only increasing because of failure to enforce safety standards.

Research by NEPA shows burning of fossil fuels (oil and coal) accounts for   31 percent of pollution in Kabul; dust from not asphalted roads and construction 42 percent , factories 12 percent and vehicles 8 percent.

Engineer Nek Mohammad who heads the monitoring team at NEPA blames the Ministry of Public Health, Kabul Municipality, ministries of public works and city development for ignoring signs of worsening air quality over the city.

The Directorate of Kabul Traffic has not been able to figure out a solution to the twin problem of old vehicles that pollute and poor quality oil.

Faheem Arab of the traffic directorate says the department purchased pollution testing equipment worth 50,000 USD but has not been able to use it. Land to house the equipment was requested from Kabul Municipality in May 2013, but despite repeated reminders the latter is yet to find an appropriate location.

Abdul Qader Arzo, spokesperson of Kabul municipality, was unaware of the situation.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment has been writing to the Ministry of Public Health about the safe disposal of medical waste from hospitals and clinics. NEPA’s Nek Mohammad says the ministry has never taken the issue seriously. Hospital waste in Kabul is dumped along with other garbage in landfills in Gazak. But Keneshka Turkistani, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, dismisses the charge as baseless and says hospital waste is burnt in the city’s seven incinerators.

NEPA blames urban officials for ignoring its many practical suggestions to improve the environment.

Kabul Municipality spokesperson Arzo says many things have remained on paper because they are not implementable.