Da.Ganbold,
deputy director for environmental issues at the Ulaanbaatar Mayor’s Office,
answers some questions.

A considerable amount of money has been allocated
in the city budget to reduce air pollution. What has been achieved?

Not
much. Only a small amount of money has been spent and that cannot achieve
results. There should be realistic funding, say around MNT17-18 billion as in
the Smokeless Ulaanbaatar program.

But the budget standing committee has
refused to give any funds to the program…

Yes.
The decision of Parliament cannot be questioned. Maybe the time hasn’t come for
this program yet. Air pollution and urban overcrowding are both big issues that
can be addressed only by thinking big. It seems Parliament is not yet ready to
support such a big program. 

If city officials could attend a budget
standing committee meeting, maybe you could have argued your case more
successfully…

But
we did go, many times. But every time they canceled their meeting. We have our
own jobs to take care of, and cannot be there always, waiting to be called.

Many in the committee felt the program
is not related to human development issues and said you should set up a new
fund…

It
is all very frustrating but there’s nothing I can do. I do not work independently
and their decision is final. I can’t kick them or shoot them even though I
disagree with their views. They are elected by the people of Mongolia and we
have to accept them. There is no point expecting too many changes from them.