Excessive coal consumption aids respiratory diseases in Bamyan

BAMYAN (Pajhwok): Some residents and experts in central Bamyan province have expressed their concerns over increase in respiratory diseases due to the excessive process, loading, unloading and burning of coal.

Qudratullah Raha, the founder of Bamika Higher Education Institute, in Bamyan said the process and loading of coal in residential areas was against the environmental and urban laws and this practice has dangerous consequences for the environment.

He said the increasing heavy vehicles traffic and use of coal besides negatively impacting agriculture had generated a number of respiratory diseases.

He warned if serious and practical measures are not taken to move coal transportation centers from inside the city and reduce pollution, the local residents will face serious health problems.

Ahmad Raza Rostae, one of the engineering faculty teachers of Bamyan University, said taking into account environmental considerations towards sustainable development, the prevention of environmental pollution and health problems was necessary.

He believed one of the energy sources that will have the most negative environmental and health effects is the excessive use of coal.

He explained the dispersion of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as a result of coal burning which created small carbon particles in the air and that enter into human body through respiration caused different types of diseases.

This comes that workers in the coal mines had complained against different respiratory diseases and termed working in the coalmine a difficult task.

Muharam Ali, one of the Bamyan City residents, said he worked in the coal loading factory from the past two years in order to earn livelihood and support his family.

He said: “During the two years that I have been working in the coal mining sector, I have now suffered from serious heart and respiratory problems, I visited the hospital several times, but at first I could not sleep, and the harder I work, the more I face shortness of breath and chest pain.”

Dr. Faroghudin Amini, head of the Provincial Hospital’s Antani Department, talked about the surge in the number of patients visiting hospital and said patients suffering from heart, respiratory problems, allergy, flue, sore throat and others visited the hospital frequently

He believed the first reason behind surge in respiratory problems was growing air pollution caused by vehicles and coal burning.

Dr. Amini explained that fact that coal is a completely chemical and carcinogenic substance, when a person breathed it from the air, it could affect the pulmonary system and the respiratory arteries of the lungs, taking the person close to lung cancer or even causes death.

He urged to bar children and elders from going outside early morning and late at night and use masks when needed.

Environmental Protection Department (EPD) officials acknowledged growing environmental degradation and said efforts had been taken to control the situation.

Provincial EPD Head Mohammad Ibrahim Dadfar said increasing environmental pollution in this season is one of the grave issues adding that all residents and businesspeople are bound to adhere to urban and environmental laws.

He said in order to control environmental pollution most of the coal loading and unloading centres had been removed from residential areas and moved outside in the Qarghna Tou area.

He also stressed in order to reduce and control environmental pollution, besides preventing the burning of plastic and garbage, all owners of Hamams and heating centers advised to install filters on their heating facilities, in case of violation their licenses would be canceled.

Dadfar said besides thousands of individuals working in the excavation, lading and process of coal, last year’s survey of the National Information and Statistics Authority (NISA) showed that over 50,000 families in Bamyan City used coal for heating purpose.

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