Indeed, a long-term solution requires policy level intervention and coordination between all branches of government. Q : Which country has the highest number of time zones. 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. 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. Air pollution regularly exceeds recommended safe levels. Your email address will not be published. Also, news . The country of 30 . Q : Which one is the capital of Spain. The major reason for high ambient air pollution in Nepal is largely from traffic related with old . 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. Rapid and haphazard urbanisation in the last few decades has resulted in the degradation of the environment, predominantly in terms of air pollution. The governments standard level is 40 micrograms per cubic metre. 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. Globally, air pollution results in around sevenmillion deaths annually. Air pollution on the Nepali side is mostly locally generated.. The air in Kathmandu, already dubbed one of the most polluted cities in the world, gets worse once the winter sets in. 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). Smog has blanketed huge swaths of Nepal as air pollution in the Himalayan country soared to hazardous levels. We are mainly responsible for the destructive changes in the environment. The environment has been in a better condition. The average exposure for the officers was 51.2 g/m 3, with an hourly maximum of more than 500 g/m 3. Macrotech Developers Ltd. 997.35 152.6. 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. 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 government should ban the use of old vehicles. This indicates, around a quarter of the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. These two are just representative examples of millions of people who are directly or indirectly affected by dust,a burning issue ofthe twenty firstcentury. 12 February 2021. Our environment determines our health and civilization. It is a call to mobilize, say the authors who . 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. Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking. Get access to nearly 50 years of journalism at the Ecologist Archive. . newspaper article on environmental pollution in nepal Posted by July 3, 2022 morenci area schools staff on newspaper article on environmental pollution in nepal Nepal's Environment Protection Rules 2020 (2077) lists projects that need IEEs under Schedule 2, and those that need EIAs under Schedule 3. Air quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available. Prices range from Rs10 to Rs10,500. 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. 1. Rivers, ponds and lakes should not be polluted because it affects animals and plants lives too. Majorities express "a great deal" of worry about the pollution of both drinking water (56%) and rivers, lakes and reservoirs (53%). once done will text u on pint nd ins, I saw a fantastic film yesterday. 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. The government has also decided to sell the natural minerals like sand, rocks, mud etc to India. of tens of millions of people by 3.7 years. Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights. Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters. 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. Nepal isn't short of water, thanks to the monsoon rains and the rivers that bring meltwater down from the Himalayan glaciers and snowpack. 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. A visit to East Palestine from the head of the E.P.A. In recent time it has been seen that the pollution is increasing day by day. But this winter, the haze barely let us see through it. Southeast Asia has emerged as a hot spot for plastic pollution . This can significantly affect the local environment and the health of people living nearby. Benchmarks . 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 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. On Monday night, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in parts of Kathmandu crossed 500, according to measurements at theUS Embassy measuring stationat Phora Darbar. 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. At a time when Kathmandus, AQI was hitting record highs on Tuesday morning, with 438, the New Delhi suburb of Noida recorded less than 151 (. Between 301 and 400 (maroon), the air quality is at a hazardous level; it has more severe health implications. The COP27 sponsor's products were the most commonly found items by volunteers researching plastic pollution. Rather than benefits, morning walks could have serious health impacts, Sunil said. 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.. at Phora Darbar. Subsequent increase in number of vehicles is one of the main culprits of air pollution [ 33, 34 ]. Rapid and haphazard urbanisation in the last few decades has resulted in the degradation of the environment, predominantly in terms of air pollution. The Department of Environments own measuring station in parts of Kathmandu showed the AQI staying above 400 all day on Monday. About three months later, at the present time, the pollution seems to have worsened. The country of 30 million people lies in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters. Air pollution shortens lives more than any other external cause. 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. 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. 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. 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. Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, has a population of around3.5 million. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. 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. One of the cheapest energy sources. Coca-Cola is named world's worst plastic polluter for a fifth year. In Press, Journal Pre-proof, Available online 25 February 2023. It remained at above 500 from 10PM till 5AM, falling to 480 at 7AM on Tuesday. Afforestation should begin and deforestation should come to an end. Thereportsays that 100% of the population in India lives in areas where PM2.5 levels are higher than the WHO Air Quality Guideline. 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. There is a proportionately very high consumption of gasoline and diesel inthe valley. 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. (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. The same report ranked Nepal the eighth most polluted country in the world. 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. 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. 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. 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. The World Health Organization (WHO) reportsfine particulate matter of up to 140 g m-3 - which is aroundtentimes higher than the WHO limit. Legal provisions should be made in order for people to manage solid wastes properly. ? Despite public awareness and relentless media coverage, Kathmandus air quality has worsened in the past two years. 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. 2426/077-78 In addition, vehicles passing over broken or traveled road release huge amounts of dust particles into the air, worsening air pollution further. 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. 2022: Emergency mode for the environment. Non-smokers in Kathmandu are now suffering from diseases that you would expect to see afflicting chain smokers. The victims of air pollution urgently require an appropriate action plan . Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained: Many businesses have gone down due to high amount of road dust. "And it wasn't just the . Air pollution is a chronic problem in . A mask at best is a temporary solution and does not block harmful gases. A road-widening spree, earthquake destruction and delays in fixing streets . Green sticker = green light to pollute, Sonam Choekyi Lama. The moves sets the stage for the agency to issue tighter controls on mercury, a neurotoxin emitted by power plants. Similarly, household air pollution (HAP) was over 18-folds higherduring our survey in 2007 than the WHO recommended guidelines . There are dozens of varieties of masks available in the market, along with air purifiers that cost more than Rs130,000. A breakdown of whats known, and whats not, about the incident and its aftermath. Kakhara Madhyam Pvt. Pollution means decline of the original qualities of the elements of the environment like air, water, land, etc. 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 ). People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. Of course, a masks effectiveness depends on how well it fits on the face, but a simple, disposable surgical mask can be more cost-effective than those fancy looking expensive ones. The level between 401 and 500 is very hazardous. But it shall be helpful only if it is implemented. Also, news from United Nations. Measurement of air quality through the Air Quality Index (AQI) in city areas of the centralised valley, along with few areas of the Tarai region, shows that air pollution has become rampant. This is a very unpleasant decision. , Change the direct speech to indirect speech; She said, "I am going to London today". Most make various performance claims based on lab tests but factors like the masks fit play important roles. Or, download a free sample copy of a past issue of Resurgence & Ecologist. 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. The US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has also colour coded various AQI levels at Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Purple, and Maroon. Anupamaas Nidhi Shahs off-screen glam looks, Top 10 T'wood actresses of the 80s and 90s, Shraddha Das rocks the thigh-high slit trend, Live: PM addresses post-budget webinar on Green Growth, Oscars to have Crisis Team after Will Smith slapgate, Adani's older brother plays key role at embattled dynasty, Terms of Use and Grievance Redressal Policy. 18/11/2022. 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. Nepali lawmakers tend to shun study and researchwith rare exceptions, Healthy youth presence perks up Lumbini Provincial Assembly. 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. 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. , : Which country has the most number of lakes. There will be complications in irrigation facility, deforestation will take place and landslides may occur, the water resources will get soaked. purely b. wisely c. competentlyd. The high mountains around the Kathmandu valley allows air pollution to accumulate inthe city. Some air pollution is not seen, but its pungent smell alerts you. Site By: Hiti Design, The first step in reducing air pollution is to let, Nepali scientist returns to pinpoint hazards of dirty air, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IudF3qNM-xE&feature=youtu.benobha Gurung could have had a distinguished international career in, Sonia Awale s winter sets in and air quality deteriorates,. 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. For example, an EIA for a major highway would need . This is what we learned. The Department of Environments own measuring station in parts of Kathmandu showed the AQI staying above 400 all day on Monday. 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. Use of pesticides and fertilizers must be controlled. Their effectiveness also varies depending on the work place, environment and fitting. Submissions In Nepal, COPD is the second major cause of death after Ischemic Heart Diseases. World news on global warming, climate change, wildlife, pollution, carbon business and climate politics. 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.. How to clean up Kathmandus air, Anil Chitrakar, Poisoning the air we breathe, Sonia Awale.