PM APPEALED TO COMBAT AIR POLLUTION ALL TOGETHER

Ulaanbaatar/MONTSAME/ On November 30, Prime Minister U. Khurelsukh worked in the most air-polluted areas of Ulaanbaatar city. He visited general educational school #39 in Chingeltei district, kindergarten #38 in Songinokhairkhan district, air-quality measurement post #6 in Bayankhoshuu ger area and family of N. Adiyasuren, citizen of 11th khoroo of Bayangol district. According to the survey, 220 thousand households of ger area and over 3000 steam boilers make about 80 percent of the city’s air pollution. A million tons of coal is consumed in wintertime. The PM first visited the school #39 that was recently connected to the central energy grid. Previously, the school had heating by burning coal, which spent MNT24-27 million per year. Now the school’s expenditure on heating is around MNT3-4 million. Earlier, 45 steam boilers have been connected to the central energy grid and now 68 more are connected; therefore a total of 113 steam boilers will no longer use 60 thousand tons of coal, emitting 135 thousand tons of poisonous smoke. In addition, over 20 thousand households are using electric heaters, which means 30-50 thousand tons of coal is not be burnt at nighttime. Within the project ‘Ulaanbaatar-Clean Air’, about 200 households were involved in the ‘Insulation campaign’. N. Adiyasuren, citizen of Bayangol district, is one of them. He used to consume three ‘Porter’ trucks of coal during winter. Now, his family consumes only one truck of coal after making insulations to his house. Meeting with N. Adiyasuren, the PM appreciated his family contribution to reduce air pollution. He said that the ger area households need to introduce such good practices. The kindergarten #38 in Songinokhairkhan district reduced its internal air pollution by 3.2 times after it installed air purifier. In the scope of the project ‘Ulaanbaatar-Clean Air’ funded with the World Bank, air purifiers were distributed to 91 kindergartens. The project intends to provide 550 kindergartens with air purifiers. Moreover, insulation works were made in four kindergartens in ger area to decrease heat loss. After seeing the situations in the most air-polluted areas, PM U. Khurelsukh appealed to combat air pollution all together. “Along with government’s all possible measures taking to reduce air pollution, non-government organizations, businesses and citizens are necessary to join their forces to reduce air pollution,” he said. “If 220 thousand households insulate their homes well, they can save money and reduce air pollution by 50 percent. In the State Budget 2018, MNT17 billion was budgeted to reduce air pollution and MNT120 billion will be spent on mortgage loans. The Government is for continuing the issuance of mortgage loan, re-planning the ger area, providing reliable energy and heating and restricting consumption of poor quality coal. In addition, citizens need to protect their health and their children by wearing protective masks that can filter air pollution by 70-90 percent. Relevant calculations are being conducted to provide all schools and kindergartens of the city with air purifiers,” said the PM. M. Unurzul