By Vincent Emong
SOROTI — Soroti City authorities have confirmed that the city’s air quality remains within safe limits, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) ranging between 20 and 60, indicating normal to moderate conditions.
The City Environmental Officer, Francis Ediau, said the current AQI levels mean that the air is generally safe for residents, with minimal health risks compared to highly polluted urban areas.
The Air Quality Index is a scale ranging from 0 to 500 used to measure air pollution levels and their potential impact on human health. Values below 100 are considered acceptable, while higher levels indicate increasing health concerns.
Ediau noted that unlike major urban centers such as Kampala, which are experiencing rising pollution due to industrialization, poor waste management, and deforestation, Soroti has so far maintained relatively good air quality.
However, he warned that the city is at risk of losing this status if current environmental practices are not improved.
“Our air quality is still safe, but we are slowly heading in the wrong direction,” Ediau cautioned. “Poor waste management and increasing construction without proper greening are beginning to affect our environment.”
He explained that the rapid development of infrastructure, often without planting trees or maintaining green spaces, is contributing to environmental degradation. He also pointed to improper garbage disposal as a growing concern that could worsen air pollution over time.
Ediau called on residents to adopt environmentally friendly practices, including proper waste management, tree planting, and maintaining green spaces around homes and institutions.
“We must act now to protect our environment,” he said. “If we fail to manage waste and preserve greenery, we risk exposing ourselves to serious health problems in the future.”
City authorities are urging communities to take collective responsibility in safeguarding Soroti’s environment to ensure that air quality remains safe for generations to come.
