Mongolian parents express frustration over air pollution in capital city
Hundreds of parents gathered in Ulaanbaatar’s central square demanded to announce a state of emergency in Ulaanbaatar and hold the cabinet meeting in the most affected by air pollution district of the
Mongolian parents express frustration over air pollution in capital city. Hundreds of parents gathered in Ulaanbaatar’s central square demanded to announce a state of emergency in Ulaanbaatar and hold the cabinet meeting in the most affected by air pollution district of the capital city. The protesters demanded that the government increase the number of beds in hospitals that have been overcrowded with sick children and develop an effective plan to reduce the air pollution. In winter the air pollution increases to the dangerous situation. Pneumonia and other respiratory infections are one of the leading causes of death among Mongolian children under the age of 5. More than half of the city's 1.3 million residents live in traditional round tents that do not have centralized heating and they burn raw coal for heating and cooking thus increasing ever more the air pollution of Ulaanbaatar city. The Mongolian government, international donors and development organizations have spent millions of dollars on programs aiming to reduce the air pollution since 2000, including measures such as developing and distributing fuel-efficient stoves, chimneys and fuel briquettes that produce less smoke. However, none helped to substantially reduce the air pollution. Past week, the Mongolian government said that households in the ger areas will be exempted from paying for nighttime electrical use, encouraging households to use electrical heaters during cold winter nights.
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