Air pollution in Kabul, which has worsened with the arrival of winter, is threatening the lives of dozens of internally displaced families in the west of Kabul who criticize government authorities for not following through on pledges to address problems.

An assessment by Air Visual – an international service that provides online pollution updates– reports that Kabul has been in the top four of the world’s most polluted cities over the past months. Air Visual has rated Kabul air as “hazardous” on many nights over the past several weeks. Officials said the pollution is due to the use of low-quality materials used for fuel by Kabul residents and some townships around the city. 

The families, who are living near Qambar roundabout in Kabul, said the president promised to help them improve their lives but “nothing” has been done for them so far.

A young member of one of the displaced families, Nazanin, said she collects the garbage from around the city and burns it to warm their tents and for cooking.

“We want to have a house. I want to go to school,” eight-year-old Nazanin said. 

“I am feeling cold. I have a headache,” said Fatima, Nazanin’s sister, who roams the city every day to collect used papers and garbage for warming their tent.

The family shared a painful story of a four-month-old infant from Rahm Bibi’s family who died, they believe, due to cold weather.

“She died due to the cold weather. She was fine but suddenly we noticed that she has lost her life due to the cold,” said Bibi. 

The displaced persons said that women and children suffer the worse from the cold weather and air pollution. 

“Children are usually suffering from pneumonia. We need clean water. No one comes to help us,” said Taj Bibi, the head of a displaced family. 

“We were promised to be helped, and given shelter, given schools and clinics, but nothing has been done even five years after that promise,” said Taj Mohammad Amiri, a displaced person.  

The people say they have visited many offices and organizations for help over the past few years.

“We will hold a protest, we will kill ourselves. It is better to be killed now than being killed by the cold weather,” said Tawos Khan, a displaced persons’ representative in Charah-e-Qambar area.

Most of the families have been come from the southern provinces of Helmand, Kandahar and Uruzgan and left because of conflicts and lack of security.