Feature: Air pollution poses deadly threat to Kabul residents

KABUL, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- As the winter settles in, thick, hazardous smog from burning coal, rubber, and other substandard fuels poses a significant threat to the health of millions of residents in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.

Inhaling air during morning and evening hours poses substantial risks and challenges, particularly in cases where over 1 million households rely on substandard heating fuels.

Unemployment and poverty have forced many citizens to rely on smoky, unrefined fuels to heat their homes during chilly weather. Desperate families even collect harmful materials like plastic from waste to burn as fuel.

Mujeeb Rahman, a taxi driver in Kabul, shared his experiences while buying coal in Deh Sabz district on the outskirts of Kabul. He acknowledged the harmful effects of coal but explained that financial hardships left families with little choice.

"Coal has numerous drawbacks and is also dangerous," Rahman said. "People cannot afford wood for heating, so they settle for coal. The smoke it produces causes significant health issues."

The white-bearded driver expressed concern over the growing health crisis. "Burning low-quality fuels leads to diseases like pneumonia and shortness of breath. If this issue is not taken seriously, it will become catastrophic," he said.

Health officials echo these concerns, reporting a rise in air pollution-linked illnesses, including respiratory problems, heart and lung diseases, colds, and coughs.

"Every day, numerous children under the age of five and individuals with weakened immune systems are hospitalized due to diseases caused by poor air quality," Dr. Hamayoun, a specialist physician at a state-run hospital in Kabul, told Xinhua.

He explained that seasonal diseases are often triggered by reduced oxygen levels in the blood resulting from burning coal and other fuels that contain carbon monoxide.

Officials at the Afghanistan National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) reported a slight improvement in Kabul's air condition compared to previous years. "The data shows a 10 to 20 percent decline (in pollution levels in Kabul) compared to the previous years," said Toofan Jebran, director of regulation and control of pollution and waste at NEPA.

However, Jebran acknowledged that significant challenges remain. He identified the lack of electricity and refined fuels as the primary cause of rising air pollution in Kabul, a city of around 6 million people.

When asked about the solution, Jebran said, "The supply of 24-hour electricity and widespread access to gas delivered through pipelines should be managed. If citizens have reliable access to clean energy, their reliance on harmful fuels will diminish."

Lack of clean energy sources, limited access to electricity, rapid population growth, the increasing number of vehicles, and the burning of highly polluting fuels such as coal, plastics and harmful materials in factories have raised concerns about the health of Kabul citizens.

"Pollution has significantly increased. The extreme levels of dust and smoke in Kabul city at night make it difficult to see the road clearly while driving," Haji Delagha, a coal seller, told Xinhua.

Despite years of substantial financial investments to address environmental issues, Kabul remains one of the world's most polluted cities. The terrible air quality poses a serious threat to public health and demands urgent solutions.