25th Jan, 2023. 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. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. Plastic overconsumption and mismanagement of plastic waste is a growing menace, causing landfills to overflow, choking rivers, and threatening marine ecosystems. says that 100% of the population in India lives in areas where PM2.5 levels are higher than the WHO Air Quality Guideline. 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. Similarly, one-fifth of the total diesel is used inKathmandu. ? Efforts for improving air quality should be of utmost priority now so that safety of citizens' health can be ensured. Department of Information Registration No. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The theme for World Environment Day (5 June) is #BeatAirPollution. Therefore, it is advised that everyone should avoid all outdoor exertions. 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. Thenumberofvehiclesin the valley during the last two decades has increasedninefold,and reached 922,900 in total during 2015, according to the Department of Transport Management inNepal. . The country of 30 million people lies in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters. From his home in Kathmandus Chabahil, Basudevs walks take him around Pashupatinath Temple and the Guheshwori area. Last modified on Fri 3 Mar 2023 20.17 EST. There will be complications in irrigation facility, deforestation will take place and landslides may occur, the water resources will get soaked. 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. 22 September 2021. 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. Thefts of the pollution control devices from cars and trucks more than quadrupled from 3,389 in 2019 to 14,433 in 2020, and jumped dramatically again in 2021 . Air quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available. Publisher: Kunda Dixit, Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu With neighbouring India and China committed to manufacturing only electric automobiles by 2030, Nepal will be forced to go electric. The Department of Environments own measuring station in parts of Kathmandu showed the AQI staying above 400 all day on Monday. 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. At times, it feels like my eyes are burning, said 34-year-old Sunil. Photo: Skanda Gautam/THT, A screenshot showing Air Quality Index (AQI) for various cities as measured at 8 am on Thursday, March 25, 2021. Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights. This is a very great decision taken by the government. The recent Environmental Performance Index 2016 has suggested increase in overall PM 2.5 in Nepal over the last decade. SAMPLE 2. 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. Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the world's biggest polluters. A road-widening spree, earthquake destruction and delays in fixing streets . Under the US Clean Water Act, the EPA regulates wastewater discharge from meat and poultry plants into . The latest edition of Resurgence & Ecologist is out now, and available to buy. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. New road Kathmandu. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service, : Nepal has ordered schools to close for four days after. The US government held a meeting in Kathmandu this month of its embassy staff specialising in air pollution based in 30 Asian countries. This is a grave threat to public health, the government should have declared an emergency and taken urgent measures to curb pollution, says environmental expert Bhushan Tuladhar. Hundreds of thousands are sheltering in tents, breathing air thick with pollutants unleashed from tombs of rubble, fearful that a new disaster could strike at any moment. Controlling tobacco in Nepal is already such a big challenge, butKathmandus degrading air quality has doubled the disease burden, says health activist Shanta Lall Mulmi. climbed to hazardous levels, forcing millions of students to stay home across the country. Spain. Southeast Asia has emerged as a hot spot for plastic pollution . Because indoor air pollution levels are also high, ideally you would have to wear a mask 24 hours a day, says Pangeni. The government should ban the use of old vehicles. 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. Coca-Cola is named world's worst plastic polluter for a fifth year. 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. 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.. Similarly, Dhangadhi was third in line to have the most degraded air quality among the list of stations measuring the AQI. Even before Covid-19, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had warned that poorair qualityin northern India and the Tarai was already thereducing average lifespanof tens of millions of people by 3.7 years. once done will text u on pint nd ins, I saw a fantastic film yesterday. 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. 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 There has also been a 25% increase in the number of vehicles on the roads. And residents of the capital who smoke get a double whammy. Nifty-129.. NSE Gainer-Large Cap . Similarly, one-fifth of the total diesel is used in Kathmandu. Whilstthis shows an improvement over the course of one year, when observing datataken from the capital city . ? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Kathmandus AQI has remained at the Maroon Hazardous level for two days in a row. The visibility in Kathmandu valley has degraded to a significant level. Winter inversion, vehicular emission, wildfires, and cross-border industrial pollution have combined to give Kathmandu Valley the worst air quality among cities in the world this week, adding to the risk of respiratory complications for Covid-19 patients. 2426/077-78 However, the record-breaking pollution this winter will add to the risk of the coronavirus. The Biden Administration will make $250 million in grants available to develop strategies to cut climate pollution, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday. The website is owned and published by The Resurgence Trust, an educational charity. This is a grave threat to public health, the government should have declared an emergency and taken urgent measures to curb pollution, says environmental expert Bhushan Tuladhar. 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. 21 October 2021 Climate and Environment. If there is any health advisory from the government, our family will stop going on regular morning walks, said Sunil. 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. All of these vehicles degrade the air quality by emitting huge quantities of smoke into the ambient environment. The governments standard level is 40 micrograms per cubic metre. Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained: Many businesses have gone down due to high amount of road dust. In 2017, the Department of Environment had drafted an action plan to tackle the deteriorating quality of air in Kathmandu Valley. 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 Thepolluter pays' principlewas introduced in1972 in order to address this issue. Every year, we witness a surge in air pollution during the winter season. 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. In . Legal provisions should be made in order for people to manage solid wastes properly. Bhushan Tuladhar, an environmentalist who closely watches levels of air pollution in the country, agrees that there is a minimal chance of pollution from Delhi and northern India reaching Kathmandu, although cities in the Tarai are already dealing with poor air quality coming from across the border. FEATURED FUNDS. 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. This company thinks bacteria can help fix fashion's water pollution problem. hit their highest in the capital since the government began keeping records in 2016, government official Shankar Paudel told Reuters. Sonia Awale May 31, 2019. PM2.5 levels of 403.72 g/m3 were recorded at 7pm on November 4 in Nepalgunj, the highest for the country in the past week. In 2000 / 2001 there were 24,003 vehicles registered in Kathmandu and this has increased dramatically to 79,822 in 2015 / 2016. The air in Kathmandu, already dubbed one of the most polluted cities in the world, gets worse once the winter sets in. 'We need to transform our commitment into action that will have an impact on the gases that drive climate change.'. That said, old diesel vehicles are contributing significantly to the poor air quality in the city. 30 Mar 2021. Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained:Manybusinesseshavegone down due to high amount of road dust. 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. Thereportsays that 100% of the population in India lives in areas where PM2.5 levels are higher than the WHO Air Quality Guideline. Kakhara Madhyam Pvt. I dont remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past, Khadka told Reuters. Other global AQI measurement sites like. The values between 151 and 200 are categorised as unhealthy. With a staggering 42 percent of the population living below the poverty line and only 27 percent with improved access to sanitation, there are quite a number of issues facing Nepal. Nestled between China and India - two of the world's biggest polluters - Nepal often . Nepal is a landlocked nation with the current population of over 27 million people. 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. By Sophie Wodzak,Emily Cochrane and Lisa Friedman. Officials at Nepals only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights. - . 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. Air pollution is a familiar environmental health hazard. 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. Modern day Nepal is one of the most polluted and impoverished places in the world. The effect of dust is not limited to human beings, but is also felt byplants, particularly to those closer to the road. 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. The average exposure for the officers was 51.2 g/m 3, with an hourly maximum of more than 500 g/m 3. Thanks for contacting us. Since the festival of Diwali ended last week, the air quality in New Delhi has drastically deteriorated, resulting in air pollution levels reaching nearly 10 times healthy limits. It is a call to mobilize, say the authors who . On Monday night, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in parts of Kathmandu crossed 500, according to measurements at theUS Embassy measuring stationat Phora Darbar. Globally, air pollution results in around seven million deaths annually. Such particles will not reach Kathmandu because it is surrounded by hills. Or, download a free sample copy of a past issue of Resurgence & Ecologist. In Chabahil, Sunil remains concerned for his fathers health, who continues to take his walk despite the morning haze. ? The funds are the first . The entire population is more likely to be affected. 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.That compares with the government's standard level of 40 micrograms per cubic metre. This indicates, around a quarter of the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. But public outrage does not seem to translate into action to clean up the air. No: 289512/78/079 VAT No: 610271654 Editor Ashok Silwal Email [email protected], Copyright 2023, , All Rights Reserved | Designed with. The effect of dust is not limited to human beings, but is also felt by plants, particularly to those closer to the road. 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. 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. 2426/077-78 This indicates, around a quarter of the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. The measurement between 201 and 300 is said to be very unhealthy (purple) and states 'health warnings of emergency conditions'. In Nepal, COPD is the second major cause of death after Ischemic Heart Diseases. The country of 30 . "Trans-boundary pollution can affect our air quality too as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, connected to Nepal, are also polluted. This can significantly affect the local environment and the health of people living nearby. The statement declared that the level of pollution in the valley is increasingly -- especially in the mornings and the evenings -- creating negative implications on people's health. UNICEF, on Wednesday, issued a statement calling for urgent action to address this air quality crisis in South Asia. We all have been well aware about the problem of environmental pollution which has been very petrifying to the living beings. In Nepal and Kathmandu the annual premature death due to air pollution hit37,399 and 9943 respectively,according to aRepublica news report published on 23 November 2019. It is now causing heart attacks, kidney diseases, osteoporosis and dementia. Kathmandu has dangerous levels of air and water pollution, making certain regions of the city nearly unlivable. Your email address will not be published. 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). 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. The CPV power plant operates in Woodbridge N.J. on Feb. 27, 2023. The Ecologist is an environmental news and analysis website with a focus on environmental, social and economic justice. The polluter pays' principle was introduced in 1972 in order to address this issue. 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. Change to compound, We took a tour of the most amazing Chateau during our holiday, which we discovered . by accident.a. In addition, vehicles passing over broken or traveled roadrelease huge amounts of dust particles into the air, worsening air pollution further. Officials at Nepal's only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights. A new disease caused solely by plastics has been discovered in seabirds. Besides the quantity of fuel consumption, the poor road condition of older vehicles is triggering air quality problems in the valley. [email protected] | www.nepalitimes.com | www.himalmedia.com | Tel: 01-5005602 12 February 2021. The strategy guiding the work for The Ecologist for the years 2023 to 2026 has now been published. The government has also decided to sell the natural minerals like sand, rocks, mud etc to India. 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. Microplastics are man-made pollutants which have been detected in surface water and groundwater. Nepal is not far behind with 98% of its people living in such areas. I dont remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past, Khadka told Reuters. This may collapse the whole ecosystem in general. We are mainly responsible for the destructive changes in the environment. This is what we learned. We see fog in the morning and haze in the afternoon due to local dust pollution in the winter season.. There are cloth masks and surgical ones, some are disposable but many use replaceable filters. Nepal isn't short of water, thanks to the monsoon rains and the rivers that bring meltwater down from the Himalayan glaciers and snowpack. "Every year, we witness a surge in air pollution during the winter season. This can significantly affect the local environment and the health of people living nearby. We human beings have been using the natural resources profusely. Their effectiveness also varies depending on the work place, environment and fitting. Air pollution frequently causes osteoporosis, heart attacks, dementia and kidney diseases. In terms of air pollution, the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranked Nepal 177th out of 180 countries. I have started wearing a mask whenever Im outdoors.. "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. Factors contributing to this level of pollution are local, said Shankar Prasad Paudel, information officer with the Department of Environment. The views expressed in the articles published on this site may not necessarily reflect those of the trust, its trustees or its staff. 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. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Of six environmental problems facing the U.S., Americans remain most worried about those that affect water quality. Furthermore, the life expectancy in the Kathmandu Valley is four years less than that of other Nepalese regions. China will be the host nation and will showcase its dramatic progress in cutting pollution. Advertisement 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.. D espite public awareness and relentless media coverage, Kathmandu's air quality has worsened in the past two years. Despite public awareness and relentless media coverage, Kathmandus air quality has worsened in the past two years. Around 100 people die every day in Nepal because of air pollution. Environmental pollution is one of the greatest threats of the world today. Strong laws related to environment should be made and implemented. There is a proportionately very high consumption of gasoline and diesel in the valley. 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 . 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. 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. 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. Globally, air pollution results in around sevenmillion deaths annually. The victims of air pollutionurgently requirean appropriate action plan for mitigating these problems. Collective action from many sectors is needed to assure that everyone can breathe clean air.. Copper multifaceted interferences during swine wastewater treatment in high rate algal ponds: Alterations on nutrient removal, biomass composition and resource recovery. The size of dust particles are larger compared to biomass burning or vehicular emissions. 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. 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. Q : Emu bird is found in the country. It remained at above 500 from 10PM till 5AM, falling to 480 at 7AM on Tuesday. Espaol. Health alert must be imposed on everyone as everybody is prone to experience more serious health effects. Only a year ago, snow clad mountains shone brightly in the winter and we could see the mountains and hills clearly. 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. 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.. Atmospheric greenhouse gases reach record high, latest essay from our Megamorphosis series now. 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. 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. Plastic pollution in oceans and other bodies of water continues to grow sharply and could more than double by 2030, according to an assessment released on Thursday by the UN Environment Programme ( UNEP ). Air pollution is even more dangerous than previously thought, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned . 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. The Kathmandu Post : Find the latest breaking news from Nepal, opinion & analysis on Nepali politics, business, culture & arts, sports, movies, food & travel, books, education, auto & more at kathmandupost.com AQI levels in north India and Nepal on 5 January at 8AM showing Kathmandu's much higher pollution levels compared to New Delhi. The traffic on the most part seemed to move along without any fuss. It has a negative impact on various environmental aspects which directly or indirectly affect the quality of human health. , , , , . New WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) provide clear evidence of the damage air pollution inflicts on human health, at even lower concentrations than previously understood. This means Kathmandus pollution has been 15 times higher than the WHO standard. One hour later, at 9:00 am, the air quality at Simara was recorded at 354; second on the list was Bhaisepati in Lalitpur at 196 and third was Dhagadhi at 195 (Department of Environment). 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. Green sticker = green light to pollute, Sonam Choekyi Lama. World news on global warming, climate change, wildlife, pollution, carbon business and climate politics. On Wednesday, the daily average PM 2.5 level for the western city clocked around 200, which is deemed unhealthy. But public health specialists discount their efficacy and stress that the best solution is to reduce air pollution at sources. Indeed, a long-term solution requires policy level intervention and coordination between all branches of government. These two are just representative examples of millions of people who are directly or indirectly affected by dust,a burning issue ofthe twenty firstcentury. 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. According to Tuladhar, New Delhi was able to immediately swing into action because it had an action plan to deal with the crisis. Factors contributing to this level of pollution are local," said Shankar Prasad Paudel, information officer with the Department of Environment. But air pollution issues are continue to increase. While the quality of air in some of these places has degraded tremendously, air quality in other places is becoming increasingly unhealthy. Butair pollution issues are continue to increase. Rapid and haphazard urbanisation in the last few decades has resulted in the degradation of the environment, predominantly in terms of air pollution. It remained at above 500 from 10PM till 5AM, falling to 480 at 7AM on Tuesday. Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking cigarettes., Solution to pollution, Pallavi Pant and Anobha Gurung. But this winter, the haze barely let us see through it. 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 . EIAs must be submitted to Nepal's Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE) for approval, whereas IEEs can be approved by other relevant ministries. Q : Which one is the capital of Spain. The US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has also colour coded various AQI levels at Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Purple, and Maroon. 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].
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