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. We are mainly responsible for the destructive changes in the environment. I have started wearing a mask whenever Im outdoors.. Top economies responsible for 2 million air pollution deaths worldwide KATHMANDU 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. 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. WASHINGTON - Today the Environmental Working Group published an analysis of peer-reviewed data that for the first time shows the global scope of contamination by the "forever chemicals" known as PFAS, which may be harming over 330 wildlife species around the world.. Air pollution is a chronic problem in . Nepal's schools close as air pollution hits alarming levels Advertisement 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. New road Kathmandu. But the Narayani's problems go back further. There will be complications in irrigation facility, deforestation will take place and landslides may occur, the water resources will get soaked. Environmental issues in Nepal - Wikipedia The level between 401 and 500 is very hazardous. The Biden Administration will make $250 million in grants available to develop strategies to cut climate pollution, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday. Three members of the Paudel family followed suit, but they never gave much thought to the quality of the air they were breathing in. I dont remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past, Khadka told Reuters. Benchmarks . Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, has a population of around 3.5 million. 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. Similarly, the hotel business (khaja ghar) of Ram Karki has also slowed down majorly due to road dust emission. 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. Q : Only continent in the world without a desert is. On Monday night, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in parts of Kathmandu crossed 500, according to measurements at theUS Embassy measuring stationat Phora Darbar. That said, old diesel vehicles are contributing significantly to the poor air quality in the city. Plastic pollution on course to double by 2030 | UN News In Chabahil, Sunil remains concerned for his fathers health, who continues to take his walk despite the morning haze. Climate & Environment - The Kathmandu Post Apex court orders acceptance of writ against PM, dubbed one of the most polluted cities in the world, air pollution levels reaching nearly 10 times healthy limits, 22 of the worlds most polluted cities in 2018, ranked Nepal the eighth most polluted country, PM2.5 level for Kathmandu in 2018 was 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter (g/m3, deteriorating quality of air in Kathmandu Valley, Overextraction and shrinking open spaces cause groundwater depletion in Kathmandu Valley, As season of forest fires starts, authorities alert public to risks, History and politics of Nepals school education, Insurgency-era victims of sexual crimes still unheard. Air pollution is slashing years from billions of people's lives around the world and is a greater threat to life expectancy than smoking, HIV/AIDS or war, a report published Wednesday shows.. Officials for the railroad company pulled out hours earlier, infuriating some residents who said they wanted answers from the company. The Department of Environments own measuring station in parts of Kathmandu showed the AQI staying above 400 all day on Monday. Nepal is a landlocked nation with the current population of over 27 million people. Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking cigarettes., Solution to pollution, Pallavi Pant and Anobha Gurung. In Nepal, COPD is the second major cause of death after Ischemic Heart Diseases. Once again, Kathmandu breathes world's most polluted air, AQI hits 303. Water In Crisis - Spotlight Nepal - The Water Project 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. The same report ranked Nepal the eighth most polluted country in the world. World news on global warming, climate change, wildlife, pollution, carbon business and climate politics. However, two years later, the action plan has neither been finalised nor enforced. Additionally, problems like littering and excessive carbon emissions are causing problems for both people and the environment. But public outrage does not seem to translate into action to clean up the air. With neighbouring India and China committed to manufacturing only electric automobiles by 2030, Nepal will be forced to go electric. Independent lab testing finds elevated level of chemical of concern in Sunil Paudel, Basudevs son, stopped going on morning walks last year after learning that Kathmandus air quality was reaching unsafe levels. 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 The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to update its water pollution rules for slaughterhouses for the first time in nearly 20 years, the agency announced on Wednesday, following a lawsuit from environmental groups arguing current standards are too weak, according to Reuters. Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking. 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. Phil Murphy but which has yet to take full effect should prevent the . Also, news . The Department of Environments own measuring station in parts of Kathmandu showed the AQI staying above 400 all day on Monday. The government has also decided to sell the natural minerals like sand, rocks, mud etc to India. At this level of air quality, it is better that active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, avoid prolonged outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion. Nepal wildfires cause hazardous smog as pollution levels hit record While the quality of air in some of these places has degraded tremendously, air quality in other places is becoming increasingly unhealthy. The Threat of Ambient Air Pollution in Kathmandu, Nepal - Hindawi Our environment determines our health and civilization. Efforts for improving air quality should be of utmost priority now so that safety of citizens' health can be ensured. But poor air quality from as far as New Delhi cannot penetrate deep into Nepal.. The effect of dust is not limited to human beings, but is also felt by plants, particularly to those closer to the road. Collective action from many sectors is needed to assure that everyone can breathe clean air.. The derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals upended a region of Ohio where generations of families could afford to buy acres of land, raise livestock and plant gardens. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service, : Nepal has ordered schools to close for four days after. Editor Online: Sahina Shrestha | Executive Editor: Sonia Awale Nepal closes schools as air pollution hits alarming levels - Al Jazeera 18/11/2022. There are cloth masks and surgical ones, some are disposable but many use replaceable filters. This means Kathmandus pollution has been 15 times higher than the WHO standard. It urges the polluters to pay for the damage done to the natural environment. New WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines aim to save millions of lives Submissions AQI level between 0-50 is Good, 51-100 is Moderate, 101-150 is Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, 151-200 is Unhealthy, 201-300 is Very Unhealthy, and anything above 301 is regarded as Hazardous. Air pollution crisis in South Asia causing massive loss of pregnancies Download the latest essay from our Megamorphosis series now. Air pollution regularly exceeds recommended safe levels. Majorities express "a great deal" of worry about the pollution of both drinking water (56%) and rivers, lakes and reservoirs (53%). What's in the Air of Nepal? Filling Gaps in Pollution Data Though the readings slowly became less alarming after the morning hours, at 10:00 am and onwards, the readings for Simara was still lingering above 300; others (stations mentioned above) showed the index between 151 to 200. There will be very less production of crops and the economy of the whole country can go downhill by this negative decision made by the government. All of these vehicles degrade the air quality byemitting huge quantitiesof smoke into the ambient environment. An article by three Brazilian researchers published in Environmental Science and Pollution Research aims to contribute to progress in this field by proposing a novel perspective on particle . 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. New Study Finds Ocean Pollution a Threat to Human Health 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 major reason for high ambient air pollution in Nepal is largely from traffic related with old . Despite the fact that most people in our country are breathing the air with such perilous level pollution, we still lack the vigour to act responsibly against the situation. The latest edition of Resurgence & Ecologist is out now, and available to buy. at Phora Darbar. 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. Similarly, one-fifth of the total diesel is used inKathmandu. A new disease caused solely by plastics has been discovered in seabirds. A road-widening spree, earthquake destruction and delays in fixing streets . The PM 10 concentration in major cities such as Kathmandu is . 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. This index is coloured red. 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. The government has declared a public health emergency, asking schools to shut down and residents to avoid outdoor physical activities, especially during morning and late evening. Air Pollution and Your Health - National Institute of Environmental But so far, the government has done almost nothing to control air pollution.. Introduction. Water Pollution Remains Top Environmental Concern in U.S. - Gallup.com El descarrilamiento en East Palestine, Ohio, se ha convertido en uno de los incidentes ms mediticos y ms politizados de su tipo en los ltimos aos. The paradox of air pollution in the Kathmandu valley The study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, found that in polluted urban areas, reducing air pollution could do as much as completely eliminating smoking would to lower rates of the 12 types of cancer most commonly associated with smoking, including lung cancer, stomach cancer, kidney cancer . Kakhara Madhyam Pvt. Department of Environment on January 5 had released a statement mentioning about the change in weather condition in the country and increasing level of pollution in Kathmandu valley. It said that air pollution is dependent on weather system, and due to this fact, the pollution may last for some time or may worsen further with the passing of time. Whilstthis shows an improvement over the course of one year, when observing datataken from the capital city . Air pollution in Kathmandu - The Ecologist The government should really take a closer look at what their decision might lead the environment and the whole country to in the future. Indeed, a long-term solution requires policy level intervention and coordination between all branches of government. Publisher: Kunda Dixit, Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu Air qualities in cities like Birgunj, Nepalgunj and Bhairahawa get worse due to local air pollution, supported by stagnation of air in this season where there is an inversion of temperature, a reversal of the normal behaviour of temperature in the troposphere, said Poudel, the meteorologist. We can develop our own action plan to combat air pollution and also introduce other measures like enforcing green stickers for vehicles, among many others.. And even though the nature of pollution in New Delhi and Kathmandu is varied, Nepal needs to learn to deal with its own toxic air. Find out about our mission, and our team, here. On hand was Marcia Bernicat of the US Bureau of Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs. Fri 3 Mar 2023 06.19 EST. Microplastic pollution in urban Lake Phewa, Nepal: the first report on 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. The gendered impacts of indoor air pollution in Nepal's - ICIMOD 'Enough pollution' in low-income NJ area with 1 power plant However, the vast portion of pollution is generated locally. Environmental pollution is one of the greatest threats of the world today. Officials at Nepal's only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights. The COP27 sponsor's products were the most commonly found items by volunteers researching plastic pollution. With New Delhi and parts of northern India suffering under hazardous pollution levels, Nepal needs to take heed and prepare accordingly, environmental activists say. In this level of air quality, everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. Rapid and haphazard urbanisation in the last few decades has resulted in the degradation of the environment, predominantly in terms of air pollution. This site is using cookies under cookie policy . There are dozens of types of masks available in Kathmandu. 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. Department of Information Registration No. This can significantly affect the local environment and the health of people living nearby. Green sticker = green light to pollute, Sonam Choekyi Lama. Air pollution is even more dangerous than previously thought, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned . The government should ban the use of old vehicles. 1 ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN NEPAL Prof. Dr. Meen B. Poudyal Chhetri a and Anil Shakyab a Disaster Preparedness Network, Kathmandu, Nepal b Department of Urban Development and Building Construction, Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, Government of Nepal ABSTRACT Environmental degradation is a very big problem in Nepal which is causing human health The country of 30 million people lies in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters. This is a very great decision taken by the government. Nifty-129.. NSE Gainer-Large Cap . A mask at best is a temporary solution and does not block harmful gases. A Love Beyond Measure: The Unforgettable Reunion, , . 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]. 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. Smog has blanketed huge swaths of Nepal as air pollution in the Himalayan country soared to hazardous levels. UNICEF, on Wednesday, issued a statement calling for urgent action to address this air quality crisis in South Asia. 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. 'A waste of time and money': Why are EIAs so ineffective in Nepal? Rapid and haphazard urbanisation in the last few decades has resulted in the degradation of the environment, predominantly in terms of air pollution. Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained:Manybusinesseshavegone down due to high amount of road dust. Hourly AQI data showed Simara's air quality as very hazardous at 8:00 am. There is a proportionately very high consumption of gasoline and diesel in the valley. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. hit their highest in the capital since the government began keeping records in 2016, government official Shankar Paudel told Reuters. Haze engulfs Kathmandu valley as the air pollution increases to unhealthy levels, on Wednesday, March 24, 2021. 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. As AQ AirVisual data shows, PM2.5 levels in Kathmandu saw a continuous rise last yearfrom 65.6 g/m3 in November, followed by 91.9 g/m3 in December, 92.5g/m3 in January and peaking at 96.3 g/m3 in February. 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. According to Poudel, the pollution level in the border towns of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar can slightly influence pollution along the border area. The garbage should be properly disposed and managed. 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. The moves sets the stage for the agency to issue tighter controls on mercury, a neurotoxin emitted by power plants. Dealing with a problem that is transboundary in nature requires strong regional cooperation, she said. put Kathmandus pollution level at 487 the highest among cities in the region. The leaves of plants are covered indust particles which limits the photosynthesis rate and affects the plants growth and natural beauty. Our aim is to educate and inform as many people as possible about the wonders of nature, the crisis we face and the best solutions and methods in managing that crisis. When you can frame the problem in terms of how many people are dying and how much productivity is lost, then it becomes much more urgent.. Kathmandu has dangerous levels of air and water pollution, making certain regions of the city nearly unlivable. Afforestation should begin and deforestation should come to an end. The major effect of air pollution can be mainly observed in the cities such as Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Nepalgunj, and Lumbini. Therefore, it is advised that everyone should avoid all outdoor exertions. Every year, we witness a surge in air pollution during the winter season. No: 289512/78/079 VAT No: 610271654 Editor Ashok Silwal Email nepalnamcha@gmail.com, Copyright 2023, , All Rights Reserved | Designed with. A visit to East Palestine from the head of the E.P.A. , : Which country has the most number of lakes. AQI is a composite measurement of the concentration . In Press, Journal Pre-proof, Available online 25 February 2023. - . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
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