ADDIS ABABA – The Addis Ababa City Administration announced that it will soon install five more air pollution gauge devices in various places of the city.
Approached by The Ethiopian Herald, Addis Ababa City Environment Protection and Green Development Deputy Commissioner, Gutema Moreda said that his commission has specified areas to the installation of the devices that intended to measure air pollution.
The devices that were granted by United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) will be installed in the nearby areas to industry, condominiums, other upper catchment areas, he said. Moreover, Bole Lemmi and Kaliti Kilinto will be among the destinations of the upcoming devices, as to him.
A week ago, the commission has installed about five devices in Gurdshola, Piassa, Merkato, Mexico and Koshe areas specified as residential, municipality, business, vehicle traffic and biomass burning and landfill spots, he noted.
The devices are significant to collect and form baseline data that will be used to prepare strategy and plan on environmental protection, he stated. As to him, the commission would also inform the public about the air quality level of the place where it move to make exercise via online platform once it became functional.
It will brief the public via media about the level of air pollution, the types of elements in it and the explanation in terms of health, he said. It was on 22nd November 2019 that the highest pollution registered since the installation of the first five devices, the information on the commission Facebook page indicated.
The information also indicated that the emission from vehicles is high in the morning and then reducing to noon, he expressed. The devices gauge particular matters that amounts 2.1, 1, 10, and ozone and nitrogen dioxide. In addition, the commission will install sensors that will be installed in these devices to identify carbon dioxide, carbon mono oxide and hydrogen sulfide, he stated.
Many countries are working to prevent heavy tracks, generators and any other machines that cause biomass after experiencing a great consequence, he mentioned. “However, we are working to combat it with commitment before such damages are happened.” The major air pollution causes in the capital are vehicles, biomass earning and industry, according to Gutema.
Among the strategies and plan relying on the data from the devices is to draft a policy that enacts standard for vehicle emission, he noted. Accordingly, researches are underway to evaluate the economic damage due to the prevention of some vehicles and to facilitate conditions on the application of the standard through time, he said.
The commission is working with stakeholders to finalize the emission standard legal framework draft this budget year, he disclosed. Therefore, all pollution inducing factors will be reduced permanently regulated by law enforcement, Gutema underlined.
The commission is working with universities, transport organizations, health bureaus and Ministry of Mines, Petroleum and Natural Gas to realize the effort in protecting environment and health of the public based on the information gained from the devices in the long run, it was learnt.
The Ethiopian Herald, December 3/2019
BY YOHANES JEMANEH
