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. Only a year ago, snow clad mountains shone brightly in the winter and we could see the mountains and hills clearly. But public outrage does not seem to translate into action to clean up the air. Around 100 people die every day in Nepal because of air pollution. The country of 30 . 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. 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. 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. UNICEF, on Wednesday, issued a statement calling for urgent action to address this air quality crisis in South Asia. The victims of air pollution urgently require an appropriate action plan . 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. Last modified on Fri 3 Mar 2023 20.17 EST. 'We need to transform our commitment into action that will have an impact on the gases that drive climate change.'. Their effectiveness also varies depending on the work place, environment and fitting. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Human error eyed as cause of Yeti Airlines crash that killed 72 people, 2 Americans, 2 permanent US residents among 72 dead in Nepal plane crash, Father of flight attendant urged her not to work before Nepal crash left 70 dead, Nepal to send data recorder from crash to France. The moves sets the stage for the agency to issue tighter controls on mercury, a neurotoxin emitted by power plants. All of these vehicles degrade the air quality byemitting huge quantitiesof smoke into the ambient environment. The funds are the first . 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. Majorities express "a great deal" of worry about the pollution of both drinking water (56%) and rivers, lakes and reservoirs (53%). 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. Publisher: Kunda Dixit, Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu 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). The effect of dust is not limited to human beings, but is also felt byplants, 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 news agency. The government, which has been engulfed in a crisis within the ruling party after Prime Minister K P Oli dissolved the Lower House and called for snap polls in April-May, seems to be too distracted to pay attention to the converging crises of Covid-19 and air pollution. Pollution means decline of the original qualities of the elements of the environment like air, water, land, etc. When will women lead big political parties? Get access to nearly 50 years of journalism at the Ecologist Archive. 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. This indicates, around a quarter of the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. The size of dust particles are larger compared to biomass burning or vehicular emissions. 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. Kathmandu Valley has seen a rapid increase in vehicle numbers in the last 15 years. hit their highest in the capital since the government began keeping records in 2016, government official Shankar Paudel told Reuters. But it shall be helpful only if it is implemented. 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. Thepolluter pays' principlewas introduced in1972 in order to address this issue. Department of Information Registration No. With New Delhi and parts of northern India suffering under hazardous pollution levels, Nepal needs to take heed and prepare accordingly, environmental activists say. A man performs morning workout with smog covering Kathmandu, Copyright 2023 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. 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. says that 100% of the population in India lives in areas where PM2.5 levels are higher than the WHO Air Quality Guideline. 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. 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. climbed to hazardous levels, forcing millions of students to stay home across the country. It remained at above 500 from 10PM till 5AM, falling to 480 at 7AM on Tuesday. Hourly AQI data showed Simara's air quality as very hazardous at 8:00 am. 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. There are cloth masks and surgical ones, some are disposable but many use replaceable filters. One of the cheapest energy sources. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency intends to update its water pollution rules for slaughterhouses for the first time in nearly 20 years, the agency . "Trans-boundary pollution can affect our air quality too as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, connected to Nepal, are also polluted. The US government held a meeting in Kathmandu this month of its embassy staff specialising in air pollution based in 30 Asian countries. The entire population is more likely to be affected. Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the world's biggest polluters. Strong laws related to environment should be made and implemented. The government should ban the use of old vehicles. In terms of air pollution, the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI)ranked Nepal 177thout of 180 countries. Because indoor air pollution levels are also high, ideally you would have to wear a mask 24 hours a day, says Pangeni. News about Air Pollution, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times. A Love Beyond Measure: The Unforgettable Reunion, , . We see fog in the morning and haze in the afternoon due to local dust pollution in the winter season.. 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. Globally, air pollution results in around seven million deaths annually. Air pollution frequently causes osteoporosis, heart attacks, dementia and kidney diseases. The study sounds the alarm that the growing global problem, which scientists are only beginning to understand, requires urgent and immediate action. The World Health Organisation ('WHO') has reported that PM2.5 levels of particulate matter in urban areas of Nepal . 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. To receive the magazine, become a member now. Department of Information Registration No. Similarly, household air pollution (HAP) was over 18-folds higherduring our survey in 2007 than the WHO recommended guidelines . By Leah Douglas. We chartered a train to Glasgow for COP26 and took 500 people with us. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh recently concluded that surgical masks blocked 80% of particles sized 0.007 microns. But so far, the government has done almost nothing to control air pollution.. Nearly two weeks after a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, confusing messages from government officials have frayed locals trust. 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. Q : Emu bird is found in the country. 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 . Advertisement Air pollution has been a major problem of 21st century for both developed and developing world. Air pollution has had a massive impact on Nepalese people. This may collapse the whole ecosystem in general. 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. In Nepal, a Cabinet decision last year adopted the Department of Environments guidelines for air pollution to declare a health emergency if AQI exceeded 300 meaning the government can ban open burning, close factories, and take measures to reduce vehicles on the roads. Every year, 35,000 people in Nepal die from illnesses related to air contaminants. 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. 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. 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]. The environment of the industrial areas should be properly managed by the industries and concerned agencies. Yours sincerely, Rajesh. In 2013, a team of Cambridge University scientists were in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley, developing a device to measure . The first step in controlling air pollution is with electric public transport because vehicular emissions make up the majority of pollutants in Kathmandus air, says environmentalist Bhushan Tuladhar. Find out about our mission, and our team, here. 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. 1. The analysis, based on more than 100 recent peer-reviewed studies, detected over 120 unique PFAS compounds in these animals . The government should really take a closer look at what their decision might lead the environment and the whole country to in the future. But this winter, the haze barely let us see through it. Subsequent increase in number of vehicles is one of the main culprits of air pollution [ 33, 34 ]. Therefore, this study investigates the presence and abundance of microplastic in lake surface water . Q : Which country has the highest number of time zones. There is a proportionately very high consumption of gasoline and diesel inthe valley. 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.. 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. Iturges the polluters to pay for thedamage done to the natural environment. 30 Mar 2021. Copper multifaceted interferences during swine wastewater treatment in high rate algal ponds: Alterations on nutrient removal, biomass composition and resource recovery. 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. It may bring various adverse impact to the environment. 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. Taking action to tackle the pollution in Nepal 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. Environmental Health issues are a not major risk factors for the Global Burden of Diseases. This indicates, around a quarterof the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. This indicates, around a quarter of the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. Kathmandus AQI has remained at the Maroon Hazardous level for two days in a row. In . Other global AQI measurement sites like. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained:Manybusinesseshavegone down due to high amount of road dust. There will be complications in irrigation facility, deforestation will take place and landslides may occur, the water resources will get soaked. Submissions Your email address will not be published. The average global citizen loses 2.2 years of life with today's levels of air pollution and, if nothing changes, that adds up to . Even before Covid-19, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had warned that poor, in northern India and the Tarai was already the.