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The EPI recently found Nepal to have the worst air pollution in the world. The Ecologist is an environmental news and analysis website with a focus on environmental, social and economic justice. Between 301 and 400 (maroon), the air quality is at a hazardous level; it has more severe health implications. Nepali lawmakers tend to shun study and researchwith rare exceptions, Healthy youth presence perks up Lumbini Provincial Assembly. The PM 10 concentration in major cities such as Kathmandu is . These two are just representative examples of millions of people who are directly or indirectly affected by dust,a burning issue ofthe twenty firstcentury. This year, I have already started feeling different. Last modified on Fri 3 Mar 2023 20.17 EST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) The Minnesota Senate voted Thursday to make it harder for thieves to sell stolen catalytic converters, a crime that has skyrocketed across the country in recent years. The 24-hour average level of PM2.5, fine particulate matter that can reach deep into the lungs, was 214 micrograms per cubic metre in the upscale area of Bhaisepati in Kathmandu on Sunday, Department of Environment data showed. For example, an EIA for a major highway would need . 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. According to AQ AirVisual, a Swiss group that collects air-quality data from around the world, the annual average PM2.5 level for Kathmandu in 2018 was 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter (g/m3), an increase from 45.9 g/m3 in 2017. The Threat of Ambient Air Pollution in Kathmandu, Nepal - Hindawi New Study Finds Ocean Pollution a Threat to Human Health Microplastics are man-made pollutants which have been detected in surface water and groundwater. Nepal isn't short of water, thanks to the monsoon rains and the rivers that bring meltwater down from the Himalayan glaciers and snowpack. Thepolluter pays' principlewas introduced in1972 in order to address this issue. The agency, along with local and . Because Nepals national government and municipalities have done little to reduce risk, citizens have adopted their own methods of personal protection: wearing masks, installing air purifiers at home and office, cancelling morning walks, and monitoring air pollution levels on apps before allowing children to play outside. News about Air Pollution, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times. FEATURED FUNDS. Globally, air pollution results in around seven million deaths annually. Vehicular emissions or traffic related particulate matter has serious health effects such as increased respiratory disease, reduced lung function, asthma, cardiac arrhythmias, heart disease etc. This has a negative impact on sectors that are critical to many economies, including tourism, shipping and fisheries. When a vehicle passes by, dust is released into the air and pollutes the clothes that are kept for selling and the customers do not like the polluted ones. In countries such as China, India and Nepal, air quality may have slightly improved in recent years, but the health risks due to PM2.5 haven't changed much, he said. This is a very great decision taken by the government. For many influencers across the political spectrum, claims about the environmental effects of the train derailment have gone far beyond known facts. Green sticker = green light to pollute, Sonam Choekyi Lama. 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. We've received your submission. In addition, vehicles passing over broken or traveled roadrelease huge amounts of dust particles into the air, worsening air pollution further. Similarly, the hotel business (khaja ghar) of Ram Karki has also slowed down majorly due to road dust emission. Prices range from Rs10 to Rs10,500. Find out more. At a time when KathmandusAQI was hitting record highs on Tuesday morningwith 438, the New Delhi suburb of Noida recorded less than 151 (AQI World map, below). But public outrage does not seem to translate into action to clean up the air. Dealing with a problem that is transboundary in nature requires strong regional cooperation, she said. While asked about the poorest air quality index of the capital city, Shankar Prasad Poudel, information officer for the Department of Environment, said that three major factors have affected the air quality of the Valley. If there is any health advisory from the government, our family will stop going on regular morning walks, said Sunil. Air pollution is slashing years off the lives of billions, report finds The government slashed taxes on electric vehicles, butmuch of the supporting infrastructure required, likecharging facilities, uninterrupted electric supply and adequate parking lots, has not even been planned. "Every year, we witness a surge in air pollution during the winter season. I dont remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past, Khadka told Reuters. We can classify pollution in many categories such as soil pollution, air pollution, water pollution, and noise . But air pollution issues are continue to increase. To receive the magazine, become a member now. Average life expectancy is reduced by at least four years in the worst-affected areas like Kathmandu Valley, Chitwan and other parts of the Tarai. This can significantly affect the local environment and the health of people living nearby. The number of vehicles in the valley during the last two decades has increased ninefold, and reached 922,900 in total during 2015, according to the Department of Transport Management in Nepal. The garbage should be properly disposed and managed. All of these vehicles degrade the air quality by emitting huge quantities of smoke into the ambient environment. - . When a vehicle passes by, dust is released into the air and pollutes the clothes that are kept for selling and the customers do not like the polluted ones. The Threat of Ambient Air Pollution in Kathmandu, Nepal Rapid and haphazard urbanisation in the last few decades has resulted in the degradation of the environment, predominantly in terms of air pollution. Use of pesticides and fertilizers must be controlled. Letter to the editor of The Rising Nepal about the environmental Our environment determines our health and civilization. Globally, air pollution results in around sevenmillion deaths annually. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Long-term exposure to air pollution can cause many of the health conditions associated with increased vulnerability to Covid-19, such as diabetes and chronic heart and lung diseases, said theState of Global Air 2020released last October. Double whammy: air pollution and Covid-19, Photo: MONIKA DEUPALA n the past eight months of this, ir quality across Nepal has been deteriorating over the years., The first step in reducing air pollution is to let. Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking. South Asia News: KATHMANDU: Nepal has ordered schools to close for four days after air pollution climbed to hazardous levels, forcing millions of students to stay home. The strategy guiding the work for The Ecologist for the years 2023 to 2026 has now been published. Legal provisions should be made in order for people to manage solid wastes properly. The environment has been in a better condition. This may collapse the whole ecosystem in general. Atmospheric greenhouse gases reach record high, latest essay from our Megamorphosis series now. Ever since the lockdown started in Nepal, there has been a little more positive change in the environment since the vehicles are barely on the road and people dont travel much. Most make various performance claims based on lab tests but factors like the masks fit play important roles. Top economies responsible for 2 million air pollution deaths worldwide 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. Similarly, one-fifth of the total diesel is used in Kathmandu. Indeed, a long-term solution requires policy level intervention and coordination between all branches of government. That said, old diesel vehicles are contributing significantly to the poor air quality in the city. Environmental Health issues are a not major risk factors for the Global Burden of Diseases. 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. Sonia Awale May 31, 2019. Air pollution is cutting more than 2 years from billions of - CNN Nepal's schools close as air pollution hits alarming levels Due to the industrial revolution from the late 20th century the environment has been polluted to such an extent that now it has become a global issue. This level is considered hazardous, and can lead to serious aggravation of heart or lung disease and premature mortality in persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly, [along with] serious risk of respiratory effects in general population, according to the United States Environment Protection Agency. 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. 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. Thanks for contacting us. The environment of the industrial areas should be properly managed by the industries and concerned agencies. The 3rd leading cause of death in low and middle-income countries is COPD, 5th leading cause is Lower Respiratory Infections and seventh is Diarrheal diseases. Taking action to tackle the pollution in Nepal This site is using cookies under cookie policy . In Nepal and Kathmandu the annual premature death due to air pollution hit 37,399 and 9943 respectively, according to a Republica news report published on 23 November 2019. The values between 151 and 200 are categorised as unhealthy. Ever since the lockdown started in Nepal, there has been a . 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. But there is a difference between the nature of air pollution in New Delhi and Kathmandu, said Tuladhar. Motorcycles and passenger vehicles such as jeeps, cars and vans accounted for 92 percent of total registered vehicles in Bagmati by the end of 2014-15. Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, has a population of around3.5 million. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports fine particulate matter of up to 140 g m-3 - which is around ten times higher than the WHO limit. 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. Globally, air pollution results in around seven million deaths annually. To The Editor The . Iturges the polluters to pay for thedamage done to the natural environment. The 24-hour average level of PM2.5, fine particulate matter that can reach deep into the lungs, was 214 micrograms per cubic metre in the upscale area of Bhaisepati in Kathmandu on Sunday, Department of Environment data showed. 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. The latest edition of Resurgence & Ecologist is out now, and available to buy. In Nepal, COPD is the second major cause of death after Ischemic Heart Diseases. But this winter, the haze barely let us see through it. Kathmandu air pollution hits record high | Nepali Times editors@nepalitimes.com | www.nepalitimes.com | www.himalmedia.com | Tel: 01-5005602 Researchers at the University of Edinburgh recently concluded that surgical masks blocked 80% of particles sized 0.007 microns. , , , , . It may bring various adverse impact to the environment. 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. The victims of air pollution urgently require an appropriate action plan . Therefore, this study investigates the presence and abundance of microplastic in lake surface water . All of these vehicles degrade the air quality byemitting huge quantitiesof smoke into the ambient environment. Despite public awareness and relentless media coverage, Kathmandus air quality has worsened in the past two years. Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the world's biggest polluters. 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. It was interesting to note that despite the manic traffic and lack of infrastructure many city roads were dirt tracks, with no traffic lights evident. Water In Crisis - Spotlight Nepal - The Water Project Electrified public transport would have been a good place to start, but 6 months after Prime Minister KP Oli launched an electric mobility action plan to turn at least 20% of public vehicles into battery-operated ones by 2020, progress has been slow. Majorities express "a great deal" of worry about the pollution of both drinking water (56%) and rivers, lakes and reservoirs (53%). Nepal's Environment Protection Rules 2020 (2077) lists projects that need IEEs under Schedule 2, and those that need EIAs under Schedule 3. Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking | Nepali Times Climate & Environment - The Kathmandu Post The effect of dust is not limited to human beings, but is also felt by plants, particularly to those closer to the road. The moves sets the stage for the agency to issue tighter controls on mercury, a neurotoxin emitted by power plants. 'Enough pollution' in low-income NJ area with 1 power plant However, the vast portion of pollution is generated locally. Q : Which country has the highest number of time zones. One of those rivers is the Melamchi, about 25 . More than 65% of all deaths due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) in 2019 were linked to air pollution in Nepal. The level between 401 and 500 is very hazardous. once done will text u on pint nd ins, I saw a fantastic film yesterday. Mass media have been a critical avenue to reach, communicate, and influence people on the alarming intensity and frequency of environmental problems [1, 2, 3].The world is facing a multitude of environmental problems, ranging from biodiversity loss, environmental pollution, spread of the vector-borne diseases and climate change at varying spatial and temporal scales [4]. A mask at best is a temporary solution and does not block harmful gases. Local pollution in Nepali border towns with high vehicular emissions and industrial pollution could increase due to pollution coming from across the border, he said. The views expressed in the articles published on this site may not necessarily reflect those of the trust, its trustees or its staff. Environmental issues in Nepal - Wikipedia This indicates, around a quarterof the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. 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]. says that 100% of the population in India lives in areas where PM2.5 levels are higher than the WHO Air Quality Guideline. I dont remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past, Khadka told Reuters. Nepal is not far behind with 98% of its people living in such areas. "We found that the pollution exposure was really, really high, suggesting potential for substantial health impacts of air pollution in this region," says Gurung, who is now a doctoral candidate at F&ES. Says Pallavi Pant, air quality scientist at the Health Effects Institute: Exposures to air pollution have been shown to affect the human bodys immune defence, making an individual more susceptible to respiratory infections such as pneumonia., Editor Online: Sahina Shrestha | Executive Editor: Sonia Awale Photo Courtesy: Department of Environment/Air Quality Montoring, President candidate Poudel reaches RSP office seeking votes, US, Russia hold highest-level talks since Ukraine invasion, Scathing report on Nepal's security controls, In Pictures: Air Pollution continues its grip over Kathmandu Valley, China acknowledges Sino-Indian brawl at Galwan Valley from last year for the first time, Covid vaccination drive in Nepal could be affected with Indian govt halting AstraZeneca export. Every year, we witness a surge in air pollution during the winter season. Three members of the Paudel family followed suit, but they never gave much thought to the quality of the air they were breathing in. Around 100 people die every day in Nepal because of air pollution. Research on microplastic concentration in aquatic environment is attracting scientists from developing countries, but in Nepal no information regarding microplastic in freshwater system is available. 2426/077-78 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. Kathmandus AQI has remained at the Maroon Hazardous level for two days in a row. We should work for the betterment of the environment because the nature has provided a lot to us and we shouldnt be disgraceful towards it. Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking cigarettes., Solution to pollution, Pallavi Pant and Anobha Gurung. EIAs must be submitted to Nepal's Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE) for approval, whereas IEEs can be approved by other relevant ministries. A road-widening spree, earthquake destruction and delays in fixing streets dug up to replace water mains has turned the Valley into a dust bowl. 2426/077-78 Other global AQI measurement sites likeIQAirput Kathmandus pollution level at 487 the highest among cities in the region. The air in Kathmandu, already dubbed one of the most polluted cities in the world, gets worse once the winter sets in. Macrotech Developers Ltd. 997.35 152.6. The moves reflect residents deep-seated mistrust of government screenings of toxic chemicals and fears of long-term effects from the train derailment. On Wednesday, the daily average PM 2.5 level for the western city clocked around 200, which is deemed unhealthy. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. Nearly two weeks after a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, confusing messages from government officials have frayed locals trust. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. 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. Submissions Such particles will not reach Kathmandu because it is surrounded by hills. Similarly, a University of Massachusetts study found that the good old surgical mask blocked 60% of 0.03 micron particles, and over 90% of 1 micron and 2.5 micron particles. World news on global warming, climate change, wildlife, pollution, carbon business and climate politics. Q SAMPLE 2. A recent study by scientists from Peking University (China) and the University of Connecticut (USA) [1] has revealed that 1 in 15 lost pregnancies in South Asia may be due to air . What's in the Air of Nepal? Filling Gaps in Pollution Data The victims of air pollution urgently require an appropriate action plan for mitigating these problems. Copper multifaceted interferences during swine wastewater treatment in high rate algal ponds: Alterations on nutrient removal, biomass composition and resource recovery. Publisher: Kunda Dixit, Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu Plastic waste is a growing menace, and a wasted opportunity The recent Environmental Performance Index 2016 has suggested increase in overall PM 2.5 in Nepal over the last decade. The funds are the first . The smoke generated from the wildfires worsened the pollution, according to an officer at the Division. There is now growing fear that the toxic air of India, which had 22 of the worlds most polluted cities in 2018, will reach Nepal and cause a similar health panic, especially as the country itself has been struggling to check its air pollution levels. The coverage of environmental issues in FM radios in Nepal: the current 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. The governments standard level is 40 micrograms per cubic metre. The rapid use of fossil fuels, increase in deforestation, unstable use of natural resources, overuse of pesticides and other chemicals, sewage and wastewater, nuclear waste, industrialization, urbanization, use of plastics and a lot more factors contribute to environmental pollution.