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Afghanistan's National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) has reported a significant deterioration in Kabul's air quality over the past month, Khaama Press reported.
The Khaama is an online news service for Afghanistan. According to NEPA officials, lack of electricity, the widespread use of unrefined coal, and the burning of plastic materials are the main contributors to the city's air pollution. According to a NEPA expert, Sayed Qayyum Hashemi, the pollution is also exacerbated by damaged roads, prevalent dust, and vehicles with technical issues that contribute to the air quality problem. Hashemi revealed that NEPA teams are actively inspecting buildings and residential areas to ensure that burners are equipped with filters to mitigate pollution, as per Khaama Press. He advised residents and the commercial sector to install and maintain active filters and, where possible, switch to alternative fuels to reduce air pollution. A spokesperson for the Taliban-appointed Ministry of Public Health Sharaf Zaman highlighted a worrying increase in respiratory diseases among the population, attributing this trend to the worsening air pollution. Kabul residents expressed distress over the air quality, noting the difficulty in breathing and the visibility problems that arise in the evening due to pollution. Despite significant financial investments over the past two decades to address climate change and environmental issues, Kabul remains one of the most polluted cities globally, with air quality continuing to decline, as per Khaama Press. (ANI)
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