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Al-Ahram Weekly 4 - 10 November 1999 Issue No. 454 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 4 - 10 November 1999 Issue No. 454
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Profile Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters The plot thickens
By Mariz TadrosThe mystery of the smog that has hung over Cairo and parts of the Delta for a second week remains as dense as ever. A report on the persistent cloud, discussed during a cabinet meeting on Saturday, suggested that some of the responsibility for the cloud must be laid at the doors of farmers burning agricultural debris, particularly rice straw and cotton stalks, in the Delta province of Sharqiya.
Information Minister Safwat El-Sherif has announced that all governorates and agricultural affiliates will be instructed to enforce a strict ban on the burning of any agricultural debris which, instead, will be removed by the government. Pollutant emissions from medium and large industries, vehicle exhausts and the burning of garbage were all mentioned as additional factors. El-Sherif also announced that a comprehensive plan to eradicate garbage burning operations in Cairo would be implemented.
Members of parliament, though, criticised cabinet statements on the source of the pollution, pointing to the contradictions between the decision to ban burning rice straw and the cotton stalks and the Ministry of Agriculture's insistence on the necessity of having them burned in order to protect future crops from pests. Some members of parliament accused the government of having encouraged the crisis by ignoring the growing number of garbage dumps on the outskirts of cities and towns.
The public appears sceptical about government attempts to blame farmers. "Rice straw burning has gone on for many, many years. And, anyway, there are so many other polluting substances in the air, how can they know that the cloud is caused by this particular smoke?" asked one Cairene. Farmers, for their part, continue to insist that they are not responsible, pointing out that rice straw takes only minutes to burn, and that the operation is done at different times by different farmers, thus minimising the amount of smoke released into the atmosphere at any particular time.
Despite a firm denial by the Ministry of Defence, rumours abound that the Bright Star military exercise is somehow responsible for the "dark cloud" that many residents of the capital are finding almost unbearable. "It is bad enough being on the road and smelling all the exhaust fumes from the cars," complained one taxi driver, "but with this cloud, life is sheer hell."
Many residents of Cairo have complained of a "suffocating feeling". Dr Shahir Farag, a chest consultant, warns that the smog poses serious health hazards. "There are big suspended particles in the air and, together with sulphur dioxide, they risk damaging the respiratory system when they are inhaled." Farag added that the outcome depends on how acutely a person has been exposed to the smog and for how long. Smog is particularly harmful to asthmatics and other respiratory disease sufferers. Young children are also vulnerable to the smog, noted Farag, "especially now, as we are in a season where viral infection is common. The smog increases the symptoms and increases the likelihood of respiratory infections and predisposes them to asthmatic attacks."
For those who are perfectly healthy, the smog may yet have a long-term impact on their respiratory system, "even if they haven't touched a cigarette in their lives". People who have recently complained of losing their voices may also have been affected by the smog, which causes an inflammation of the vocal cords. Dr Farag asserted that in the last few days, he has received more patients than the usual number, especially elderly and frail people complaining of respiratory problems. "All I can advise them to do is to close their windows, put on the air conditioner and go out as rarely as possible," he said.
The smog has also driven many tourists away from Cairo to coastal resorts, particularly Hurghada, though the full impact of the smog on the tourism industry has yet to be determined.
Fawzi Hamra of the Meteorological Authority pointed out that there has been some improvement, "although there are still problems in the north because there is a heavy concentration of pollution there". He asserted that the smog is gone, but that mist still lingers on. "Notice that the smell of smoke is gone, but people continue to confuse mist with smog because the weather is still very hazy." He predicted that the mist will continue until Friday.
Given its recent record, though, few can have much confidence in the Meteorological Authority's predictions. And the burning questions remain: what are the reasons behind this "dark cloud", and just when is it going to disappear for good?
