ULAN BATOR, Oct.17 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia is planning to install induction kits on stove pipes in 100,000 households and 3,000 low pressure steam boilers this year in an effort to improve air quality in its capital, the country's environment and tourism minister said Tuesday.
"Health is our number one priority. The plan to install induction kits for complete combustion of coal particles is the only short-term option to reduce air pollution in Ulan Bator," Namsrai Tserenbat told reporters at a press conference.
The cost of per household installation of an induction kit on a stove pipe is 500,000 Mongolian Tugriks (195 U.S. dollars).
Air pollution is the most pressing issue in Ulan Bator where more than 800,000 residents, over half of the city's population, live in slums. They usually burn raw coal and other flammable materials such as plastics and old tires to keep warm and cook meals during the six-month-long winter.
According to the minister, about 53 percent of the residents in the capital have been diagnosed with respiratory diseases.
Children living in a highly polluted district of central Ulan Bator are found to have 40 percent weakened lung functions than those from rural areas, he added.
"We are planning to implement a housing policy with a soft loan worth 500 million U.S. dollars from the South Korean government as a long-term solution to reduce air pollution," he said.
Since the early 2000s, the Mongolian government in cooperation with international organizations has carried out a number of measures aimed at reducing air pollution in Ulan Bator. However, the city has not seen a significant reduction in air pollution levels.
The city's air pollution on Jan. 30 exceeded 133 times above the safety level set by the World Health Organization.
