This comes as the voices of collective actors and those interested in the environment have risen to demand an end to this pollution that threatens the health of hundreds of thousands of Kenitra..
The hashtag was shared on social media “Quneitra is suffocating” To denounce the air pollution in their city, and in order to draw the attention of officials to stop what they call “a crime” In the right of the environment, alerting the need to find a serious and urgent solution to the factory emissions in the city, which has become a few years ago a preferred destination for capital, due to its proximity to the capital and the western coast of the country..
black dust
Naima, a housewife and mother of three, has lived in Quneitra for more than 20 years, says that she suffers greatly from black dust. As soon as you clean the house and sweep it, you find the floor dirty with dust like coal powder.
She said in an interview with “Sky News Arabia“:”Even after washing the clothes in the washing machine, they get dirty quickly after a few minutes of being hung on the drying line, as if they had never been washed. We suffer a lot from the spread of dust that has made our lives black, not to mention the rampant respiratory and skin diseases“.
Postings on social media continue to tell stories similar to Mrs. Naima’s story with the annoying dust. Pictures and videos of black powder scattered on the rooftops of buildings spread panic among the residents. Faced with this situation, local associations wrote to the government, calling for an investigation into the matter.
Defining the responsibilities
The Moroccan Association of Green Economy for the Environment and Climate Justice entered the line of the suffering of the residents of the city of Kenitra from the black dust, calling on the regional director of the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development in the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region to provide clarifications about the circumstances of the return of black dust to the sky of the city of Kenitra.
The association stated, in a statement that it reviewed “Sky News Arabia“, that it had received the testimonies of the residents on the matter, as well as pictures showing the re-accumulation of black matter on the roofs of houses and on windows and doors.
The association called on the official to provide explanations regarding the return of the phenomenon, which has become disturbing the residents of Quneitra and arousing their anger, as well as their fears of harm to their health, according to the text of the correspondence..
Dust up Parliament
In the midst of the current controversy, the party of Progress and Socialism (oppositions) in the House of Representatives warned of what it called the environmental and health catastrophe that the city of Quneitra knows, following the appearance of black dust in its sky, caused by the remnants of industrial units, most notably, according to residents, the station dedicated to generating electric power..
It included a written question by parliamentarian Nadia Al-Tohamy, about thethe book”To the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, about her question about the measures taken by her ministry.To besiege the black dust disaster caused by the industrial units in the city of Quneitra..
The parliamentary group drew attention to the need to note that this black dust, behindHealth and environmental damage, without taking appropriate and effective measures and measures, to curb this dangerous phenomenon that has become a threat to the entire city.”.
Representatives also asked “progress and socialism“, on “The measures and measures taken to besiege this environmental and health catastrophe, knowing that our country has ratified many international agreements related to respect for the environment and the reduction of pollution..
It should be noted that two advisers from the Alliance of the Left Federal in the Kenitra commune had written to the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, last December regarding the same issue..
In their correspondence, the advisors said:This black dust emitted from the industrial area, and precisely from the thermal power plant, may cause very severe health damage to the residents of the nearby neighborhoods..
Mobile air quality monitoring unit
In response to the calls for an investigation, and in response to the demands for a quick solution to the problem of black dust, the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development reported that “The National Laboratory for Studies and Monitoring Pollution (affiliated with it) has coordinated with the local authorities, to mobilize a mobile air quality monitoring unit equipped with black dust measuring equipment, in order to carry out additional analyzes in various locations that are likely to be known to be contaminated with this dust in the city of Quneitra.“.
He explained a statement to the Ministry, which I reviewed “Sky News Arabia“. The mobile air quality monitoring unit is mobilized in “The prospect of preparing a technical report that will be submitted to the regional committee to enable it to take the necessary measures and measures in accordance with the laws in force“.
The report stated that according to the results of the air quality assessment for the year 2021 in the city of Quneitra, the quality index in general during the first ten months of this year was classified as“Good” And“very good“.
The same source indicated that it was also “Recording some excesses for suspended particles and sulfur dioxide, but without reaching the degree of danger“, adding that “For nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and carbon dioxide gases, their concentration remains below the approved maximum limits.“.
As for the thermal station in Quneitra that the fingers are pointing to, the ministry’s will statement explained that: “Its operation is carried out exceptionally and for a limited period of time by a decision of the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water, to install the electrical network in case of emergency.“.
The report concluded that “The National Office for Electricity and Drinking Water has been asked to take all measures to reduce the volume of emissions from this station, pending its final halt, in the context of activating the national strategy for the energy transition.“.
.