In Bamyan, 11,000 educated on environment protection

BAMYAN CITY (Pajhwok): Although air pollution in Bamyan is on the rise, local officials say over 11,000 residents have been educated on preventing environmental degradation n the central province.

Mohammad Ibrahim Dadfar, head of the Environment Protection Department, told Pajhwok Afghan News environment protection training had been provided to over 11,000 people across the province to cope with the challenge.

He said the programme was implemented over the past year to inform the public about the importance of environment preservation, raise awareness and prevent deforestation.

Most of the participants of this training programme were religious scholars, students, community councils and local residents.

According to him, the participants were enlightened on topics such as climate change, environment protection, consequences of air pollution, deforestation, excessive destruction of mountain shrubs and the improper use of natural resources.

He revealed, solar pressure cookers had been distributed to thousands of residents of protected areas of the province, in addition to the awareness campaigns.

At the same time, local residents expressed concern at the rising air pollution and environmental degradation in the province.

Ghulam Ali Mohammadi, a resident, said widespread deforestation, the destruction of pastures and the use of waste as fuel during the winter caused difficulties for the people.

He urged officials to take concrete action to prevent environmental destruction.

Meanwhile, experts described the impacts of climate change in the province as alarming.

Nader Farzad, an environmentalist, a decrease in groundwater levels, the loss of green areas, unsustainable resource extraction, reduced agriculture, the expansion of rain-fed crops and a rise in natural disasters as the negative impacts of climate change in Bamyan.

He warned environmental and climate-related challenges would lead to more difficulties for the people in the future if a sustainable and practicable protective plan was not hammered out and enforced at the leadership level.

sa/mud

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