Keeping the importance of June 5th which is marked as environment day globally, it becomes imperative to write about grave challenges facing the environment in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital city. As compared to its area, Kabul is highly polluted and populated. The city is facing numerous problems in regards to pollution: a virtually non-existent sewage and sanitation system, burgeoning slums, crumbling infrastructure and rapid population growth.

Once a beautiful and clean city, Kabul now looks more like a garbage area than a capital city. The only difference between a deserted area where waste from cities is transferred and Kabul is that in the later people live and in the former life of human is considered to be at great stake of deadly diseases.

This can easily be judged by the dusty air and garbage scattered everywhere in the city. Three decades of conflicts, around five million people, huge number of vehicles, lack of greenery, poor sewerage system and government’s unwillingness have turned Kabul into a dreadful place for humans to live.

There is no modern garbage disposal center to digest the garbage produced by some 5 million people in Kabul or recycle factories in Kabul and other big cities. Burning tires in brick kilns, public baths, battered roads, congested streets, smoke emitting from vehicles and poor forestation campaign have been contributing to the polluting environment.

Water pollution is another growing monster hindering healthy living. Studies show the water people drink in Kabul is not safe for animals.

It is not so that steps have not been taken but those have been so minor as compared to the gigantic size of the problems our environment is facing. National Environment Agency was established in 2005, the first Environment Law was endorsed in 2007. Additionally, Thursdays were announced as public holiday to help the environment. Nevertheless, problems have gone bigger with the passage of each year due to lack of proper planning and non-implementation of laws.

The condition in other cities of Afghanistan - Kandahar, Mazar e Sharif, Kunduz, Jalalabad and… - resembles to that of Kabul. There too, the environment is increasingly becoming polluted. If no major measure is in place in capital, how could one think that condition will improve in provinces?

It is not merely the government that is carelessly functioning to address environmental problems but also the people. Public outreach programs are deemed to have positive impacts on the mindset of people and therefore, are appreciated. There is pressing need to work for cleaner and greener environment. Gifting a health friendly environment to the coming generations of Afghanistan is what we need to work for today.