Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Clean Environment Depicts Higher Values

There are many issues in Afghanistan that are making the lives of the people miserable yet they are not able to get the required attention from the government authorities. It is not that the government is busy in solving some serious issues that may be hampering it from concentrating on other issues; all the issues are getting similar treatment from the government – they are being ignored. The government is not able to complete some of its most important promises that it made before the election.
Fortunately, people are getting notice of the reluctance of the government. Many people in Kabul, on Wednesday, May 11, criticized the government and particularly President Ashraf Ghani for not taking any step in cleaning the city that is getting dirtier with each passing day. Kabul city is facing serious problems of pollution, garbage and sanitation and the citizens are having grave concerns, which will multiply as the summer season has just started. 
President Ghani had promised that he would turn a corrupt municipality into a clean and transparent one but that does not seem to be turning into reality as the municipality remains dormant and President Ghani remains unmoved. If the relevant authorities are not able to solve such basic issues like the management of the garbage in the country; how can they claim to solve other issues that are much larger in magnitude and require dedicated and long-term actions? It is really unfortunate to find the government authorities failing so miserably in solving some easy administrative issues and providing people even the most basic requirements of their lives. 
The fact is that the officials themselves do not consider this problem really important as they mostly drive through the city in their vehicles that are equipped with air-conditioning system; therefore, they do not have to open their windows even. They are only interested in the issues that can help them in achieving some personal benefits. They have totally forgotten that their responsibility is to serve the people, not dominate them and try to become their masters. 
The environment in Kabul has been announced as highly dangerous for people both by national and international authorities. National Environmental Agency considers Kabul’s air vulnerable and fears that it can cause eyes, lungs and skin diseases, including cancer.
Kabul city is a valley, wherein in winter, because of thermal inversion, very small amount of pollutants, containing such dangerous gases as nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide, is able to get dispersed in the outer atmosphere, therefore, the air pollution increases and cast dangerous effects. While in summer the dust particles that mix up with drain water, dry and then fly in the air and ultimately become the ‘oxygen’ that the residents inhale and thus make a recipe for different diseases.    
Along with air pollution the land and water pollution are getting serious as well. The drainage system is still not developed properly or it is left with serious deficiencies.
The drains that carry the water containing waste material from household and other uses are not covered. Rather they have become dustbins for the people. The people throw the wrappers, plastic bags, papers and other waste materials in the drains without any hesitation or humiliation. Most of the times the drains are blocked by the excessive dirt; and the dirty water flows out of the drains on the roads, generating disgusting smell and inviting different types of insects, particularly flies and mosquitos that are responsible for different sorts of diseases. The recent rainfall in the country unveiled the true conditions of the drainage system.
During the rainfall the roads became ponds of water, where people required boats to pass from side of the road to the other. The vehicles were not able to pass through them and every day many of them could be found caught in the water and the drivers could be seen making efforts to come out of it.
The situation is really pathetic and requires serious action by the government. A nation is recognized by its environment; if it is able to maintain a clean, hygienic and peaceful environment it would be believed to have higher values and richer cultural practices. However, if it fails to keep its own surrounding dirty, and keep its own houses full of garbage, it would be identified as a sick nation. Therefore, the government requires taking immediate action to solve the issue.
Definitely, the people will have to play a great role as well. They cannot stand aside and leave everything to the government. They should come forward and take responsibility of changing their environment themselves, as much as they can.
Though they cannot solve all the problems, they can at least take initiative to solve some of them and then the government authorities may be motivated more to take action after they find the dedication of the people.