There are dozens of varieties of masks available in the market, along with air purifiers that cost more than Rs130,000. As the new year gets underway, the world continues to grapple with a number of familiar challenges - the continued COVID-19 pandemic, resurgent wildfires, enduring crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. I know..mom's got a lock on literally everythin so y we gotta wait..! However, the vast portion of pollution is generated locally. But public outrage does not seem to translate into action to clean up the air. These two are just representative examples of millions of people who are directly or indirectly affected by dust, a burning issue of the twenty first century. Your email address will not be published. This trend is increasing rapidly and it is estimated that urban population will reach 60 million by 2040 [ 32 ]. The victims of air pollution urgently require an appropriate action plan . 2426/077-78 The Department of Environments own measuring station in parts of Kathmandu showed the AQI staying above 400 all day on Monday. There is a proportionately very high consumption of gasoline and diesel inthe valley. Kakhara Madhyam Pvt. Air pollution on the Nepali side is mostly locally generated.. In addition, residential and commercial-scale solar electricity expenses have dropped from $0.52 to $0.16 and $0.40 to $0.11 per kilowatt-hour, respectively. These are the key points that needs to be followed in order to bring a positive change in the environment. Use of pesticides and fertilizers must be controlled. Top economies responsible for 2 million air pollution deaths worldwide Environment pollution in Nepal - Since PM2.5 are so small, they are also likely to hang in the air for longer, increasing the chances that they will be inhaled. once done will text u on pint nd ins, I saw a fantastic film yesterday. Therefore, this study investigates the presence and abundance of microplastic in lake surface water . On Monday night, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in parts of Kathmandu crossed 500, according to measurements at theUS Embassy measuring stationat Phora Darbar. At a time when Kathmandu's AQI was hitting record highs on Tuesday morning with 438, the New Delhi suburb of Noida recorded less than 151 ( AQI World map, below). Independent lab testing finds elevated level of chemical of concern in A visit to East Palestine from the head of the E.P.A. Besides the quantity of fuel consumption, the poor road condition of older vehicles is triggering air quality problems in the valley. The strategy guiding the work for The Ecologist for the years 2023 to 2026 has now been published. We see fog in the morning and haze in the afternoon due to local dust pollution in the winter season.. And with reports of Indias north and its capital New Delhi struggling with extreme air pollution, Sunil wonders how much worse the air will get this winter. Nepal wildfires cause hazardous smog as pollution levels hit record Majorities express "a great deal" of worry about the pollution of both drinking water (56%) and rivers, lakes and reservoirs (53%). , , , , . WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Of six environmental problems facing the U.S., Americans remain most worried about those that affect water quality. The Threat of Ambient Air Pollution in Kathmandu, Nepal New Delhi has seen a sudden spike whereas Kathmandu witnesses a gradual increase in pollution level starting from November and reaching peak levels in January.. Students participate in activities such as program evaluation and monitoring, public health surveillance, program development, risk assessments and analysis, development of policy briefs . Air Pollution in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley - The Borgen Project Officials at Nepals only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights. of tens of millions of people by 3.7 years. We could barely see the birds flying around before but nowadays we can see the birds chirping and flying up in the sky due to decrease in air pollution. I dont remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past, Khadka told Reuters. Air Pollution and Your Health - National Institute of Environmental Department of Information Registration No. 25th Jan, 2023. AQ AirVisual, on Thursday, also ranked Kathmandu the ninth most polluted city in the world, with PM2.5 levels reaching 139 g/m3the level at which the air becomes unhealthy for sensitive groups, as per the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Air Quality Index. As people fear another wave of Covid-19 a year after the government first imposed restrictions in the country, another health concern related to respiratory illnesses caused by toxins in the environment has come to the fore. Hourly AQI data showed Simara's air quality as very hazardous at 8:00 am. The polluter pays' principle was introduced in 1972 in order to address this issue. According to Poudel, the pollution level in the border towns of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar can slightly influence pollution along the border area. Arjun Khadka, 65, who owns a grocery store in Kathmandu, said he experienced itching and burning sensations in the eyes and nose which could be due to pollution. Similarly, one-fifth of the total diesel is used inKathmandu. Nepal has ordered schools to close for four days after air pollution climbed to hazardous levels, forcing millions of students to stay home across the country. Rapid and haphazard urbanisation in the last few decades has resulted in the degradation of the environment, predominantly in terms of air pollution. Health alert must be imposed on everyone as everybody is prone to experience more serious health effects. Moreover, Kathmandu is ranked as one of the most polluted cities in Asia: according to the airvisual.com, Kathmandu is the seventh most polluted city. Phoenix Motorcars wins grant with Houston Metro and EasyMile for The World Health Organisation (WHO)s guidelines state that AQI should be below 35, and the concentration of particles below 2.5 microns should be below 25 g/mover a 24 hour period. When will women lead big political parties? In 2013, a team of Cambridge University scientists were in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley, developing a device to measure . Looking at the air quality data over the last few years, it appears that Nepal made amarked improvement from 2018 to 2019, with a PM2.5 reading of 54.15 g/m beingrecorded as an average over 2018 as compared to 44.46 g/m in 2019. The measurement between 201 and 300 is said to be very unhealthy (purple) and states 'health warnings of emergency conditions'. This site is using cookies under cookie policy . The analysis, based on more than 100 recent peer-reviewed studies, detected over 120 unique PFAS compounds in these animals . Environmental pollution is one of the greatest threats of the world today. More than 65% of all deaths due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) in 2019 were linked to air pollution in Nepal. Pollution means decline of the original qualities of the elements of the environment like air, water, land, etc. AQI is a composite measurement of the concentration . Or, download a free sample copy of a past issue of Resurgence & Ecologist. Similarly, Dhangadhi was third in line to have the most degraded air quality among the list of stations measuring the AQI. Globally, air pollution results in around sevenmillion deaths annually. While the quality of air in some of these places has degraded tremendously, air quality in other places is becoming increasingly unhealthy. Donate to The Ecologist and support high impact environmental journalism and analysis. Coca-Cola is named world's worst plastic polluter for a fifth year. That said, old diesel vehicles are contributing significantly to the poor air quality in the city. Recently the government has decided that the plastics that are less than 40 microns will be banned from use from the month of Shrawan 2078. Minnesota moves to crack down on catalytic converter thefts | AP News 12 February 2021. Your email address will not be published. Why this advert is dangerous to people and nature and shows advertising needs new controls. "This also adds to the risk of COVID-19," said Sher Bahadur Pun, a doctor at a tropical and infectious disease hospital in the capital. With neighbouring India and China committed to manufacturing only electric automobiles by 2030, Nepal will be forced to go electric. Factors contributing to this level of pollution are local, said Shankar Prasad Paudel, information officer with the Department of Environment. Chandan Kumar Mandal is the environment and migration reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering labour migration and governance, as well as climate change, natural disasters, and wildlife. Poor air quality in Kathmandu and inside rural homes due to smoky kitchen fires kill far more people across South Asia than SARS-CoV-2. Over the weekend, pollution levels hit their highest in the capital since the government began keeping records in 2016, government official Shankar Paudel told Reuters news agency. The leaves of plants are covered in dust particles which limits the photosynthesis rate and affects the plants growth and natural beauty. AQI is a composite measurement of the concentration of particulate matter below 10 and 2.5 microns, carbon monoxide, sulphur and nitrogen dioxide and ground ozone. There will be complications in irrigation facility, deforestation will take place and landslides may occur, the water resources will get soaked. But it shall be helpful only if it is implemented. Ironically, World No Tobacco Day falls on 31 May, just four days ahead of Environment Day. Kathmandu has dangerous levels of air and water pollution, making certain regions of the city nearly unlivable. Rapid and haphazard urbanisation in the last few decades has resulted in the degradation of the environment, predominantly in terms of air pollution. It is now causing heart attacks, kidney diseases, osteoporosis and dementia. A mask at best is a temporary solution and does not block harmful gases. Many scientists and environmental specialists all over the world have studied the harmful effect of plastic in detail and all of them are of the same view regarding the degree of harm they represent. Arjun Khadka, 65, who owns a grocery store in Kathmandu, said he experienced itching and burning sensations in the eyes and nose which could be due to pollution. The garbage should be properly disposed and managed. The haze has become a part of our environment, impeding our view and lowering our visibility. No: 289512/78/079 VAT No: 610271654 Editor Ashok Silwal Email nepalnamcha@gmail.com, Copyright 2023, , All Rights Reserved | Designed with. Nepal is not far behind with 98% of its people living in such areas. Thanking you. Air quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available. Air pollution is a silent killer and while it is difficult to quantify its heath impact, hospitalisation due to serious respiratory diseases has increased sharply in recent years, says chest specialist Raju Pangeni at HAMS Hospital in Kathmandu. Prices range from Rs10 to Rs10,500. Air pollution is a chronic problem in the rapidly growing capital city of Kathmandu and an additional headache for the government, which is struggling to contain the coronavirus pandemic. ? The Department of Environments own measuring station in parts of Kathmandu showed the AQI staying above 400 all day on Monday. In Nepal, 35,000 people die annually due to illnesses caused by polluted air. Kathmandus AQI has remained at the Maroon Hazardous level for two days in a row. I dont remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past, Khadka told Reuters. The US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has also colour coded various AQI levels at Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Purple, and Maroon. At times, it feels like my eyes are burning, said 34-year-old Sunil. Air pollution regularly exceeds recommended safe levels. PM2.5, or Particulate Matter less than 2.5 microns thick, are among the most dangerous of air particles as they can get past the nose and throat to enter the lungs and even the bloodstream. This company thinks bacteria can help fix fashion's water pollution problem. Environment News, Earth News, Global Warming, Wild Life, Carbon Trading As reported by the World Bank, Nepal is one of the poorest nations in the world with an estimated GDP per capita of US$470. It has a negative impact on various environmental aspects which directly or indirectly affect the quality of human health. Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained:Manybusinesseshavegone down due to high amount of road dust. As women play a significant role in the management and use of energy sources for household cooking, they are disproportionately affected by indoor air pollution [7]. Even before Covid-19, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had warned that poor, in northern India and the Tarai was already the. International breweries are polluting Nepalese rivers There are dozens of types of masks available in Kathmandu. Dust from construction works, exhaust from old, poorly maintained vehicles and smoke from coal-burning brick kilns blend in a murky haze that hangs over the ancient city of four million people, raising the risk of cancer, stroke, asthma and high blood pressure, experts say. Strong laws related to environment should be made and implemented. The Ecologist is an environmental news and analysis website with a focus on environmental, social and economic justice. This year, I have already started feeling different. Fewer, though still substantial minorities ranging between 40% and 45% . "I don't remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past," Khadka told Reuters. Quantifying the socio-economic impact of air pollution on a country will be vital in raising awareness among the public as well as policy makers and leaders, but as we have seen in Nepal it does not immediately lead to policy change. In recent years, cities in the Tarai have become infamous for the poor quality of their air, mostly because of the heavy presence of industries, dust from construction, and also trans-boundary pollution. Air pollution has been a major problem of 21st century for both developed and developing world. Hemraj Bhattarai is agraduate student from University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, and is currently working on air pollution issuesat Kathmandu Center for Research and Education, Nepal. The air pollution emergency in Kathmandu puts the elderly, those with asthma and other respiratory ailments at high risk, and would be especially dangerous to those with Covid-19. Find out about our mission, and our team, here. , : Which country has the most number of lakes. Haze engulfs Kathmandu valley as the air pollution increases to unhealthy levels, on Wednesday, March 24, 2021. Southwesterly winds have carried in some clouds with dust particles, mainly in the western parts of Tarai districts like Kanchanpur, Banke and Bardiya, Poudel told the Post. newspaper article on environmental pollution in nepal The effect of dust is not limited to human beings, but is also felt by plants, particularly to those closer to the road. The air in Kathmandu, already dubbed one of the most polluted cities in the world, gets worse once the winter sets in. But the Narayani's problems go back further. New disease caused by plastics discovered in seabirds ? Copper multifaceted interferences during swine wastewater treatment in high rate algal ponds: Alterations on nutrient removal, biomass composition and resource recovery. ? "Every year, we witness a surge in air pollution during the winter season. We know what we're looking at when brown haze settles over a city, exhaust billows across a busy highway, or a plume rises from a smokestack. China will be the host nation and will showcase its dramatic progress in cutting pollution. Collective action from many sectors is needed to assure that everyone can breathe clean air.. Water Pollution Remains Top Environmental Concern in U.S. - Gallup.com The PM 10 concentration in major cities such as Kathmandu is . FEATURED FUNDS. Our environment determines our health and civilization. Legal provisions should be made in order for people to manage solid wastes properly. The visibility in Kathmandu valley has degraded to a significant level. Nepal's schools close as air pollution hits alarming levels Publisher: Kunda Dixit, Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu Ocean pollution poses a clear and present danger to human health and well-being, according to a new study from an international group of researchers. The country of 30 million people lies in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters. Barun Poudel, a senior meteorologist at the Meteorological Forecasting Division, says that the chances of pollution travelling as far north as Kathmandu from Indian cities are slim, but that Nepali cities bordering India have already seen some impacts. The index stood at 214 as per DoE's data. New Delhis AQI levels, which have been consistently high all winter because of crop residue burning as well as vehicular and industrial pollution, got a respite on Monday because of rainfall. The effect of dust is not limited to human beings, but is also felt byplants, particularly to those closer to the road. You can specify conditions of storing and accessing cookies in your browser, News article on environment pollutation in nepal to be published in newspaper, Describe a situation where you made a wrong decision and also explain how did you handle the situation?, Which one is the tallest tower in the world. Officials at Nepals only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights. According to the 2017 Air Quality Management Action Plan for Kathmandu Valley, the transport sector contributes over 30 percent of total suspended particles (TSP), or 20,072 tonnes, into the air. Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained: Many businesses have gone down due to high amount of road dust. Photo Courtesy: Department of Environment/Air Quality Montoring, A screenshot showing Air Quality Index (AQI) for various cities as measured at 9 am on Thursday, March 25, 2021. Some air pollution is not seen, but its pungent smell alerts you. Air pollution is a chronic problem in the rapidly growing capital city of Kathmandu and an additional headache for the government that is struggling to contain the coronavirus pandemic.