This is also indicated in maroon. Globally, air pollution results in around seven million deaths annually. 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 Factors contributing to this level of pollution are local, said Shankar Prasad Paudel, information officer with the Department of Environment. From his home in Kathmandus Chabahil, Basudevs walks take him around Pashupatinath Temple and the Guheshwori area. The recent Environmental Performance Index 2016 has suggested increase in overall PM 2.5 in Nepal over the last decade. 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. 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. Espaol. The Threat of Ambient Air Pollution in Kathmandu, Nepal - ResearchGate 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 ). Students participate in activities such as program evaluation and monitoring, public health surveillance, program development, risk assessments and analysis, development of policy briefs . News article on environment pollutation in nepal to be published in at Phora Darbar. Some air pollution is not seen, but its pungent smell alerts you. 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. 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. Atmospheric greenhouse gases reach record high, latest essay from our Megamorphosis series now. ? The Department of Environments own measuring station in parts of Kathmandu showed the AQI staying above 400 all day on Monday. Air pollution is a chronic problem in . 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. Nepal is not far behind with 98% of its people living in such areas. That said, old diesel vehicles are contributing significantly to the poor air quality in the city. In Kathmandu, a struggle for water amid worsening floods 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. Top economies responsible for 2 million air pollution deaths worldwide 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. Department of Information Registration No. Environmental Issues and pollution in Nepal - Earth's Edge 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]. Air pollution is slashing years off the lives of billions, report finds Nestled between China and India - two of the world's biggest polluters - Nepal often . Environment News, Earth News, Global Warming, Wild Life, Carbon Trading 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. The victims of air pollutionurgently requirean appropriate action plan for mitigating these problems. Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the world's biggest polluters. Nepal's Environment Protection Rules 2020 (2077) lists projects that need IEEs under Schedule 2, and those that need EIAs under Schedule 3. 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. 'We need to transform our commitment into action that will have an impact on the gases that drive climate change.'. This trend is increasing rapidly and it is estimated that urban population will reach 60 million by 2040 [ 32 ]. 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]. Officials for the railroad company pulled out hours earlier, infuriating some residents who said they wanted answers from the company. Around 100 people die every day in Nepal because of air pollution. Even before Covid-19, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had warned that poor, in northern India and the Tarai was already the. 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. The EPI recently found Nepal to have the worst air pollution in the world. Department of Information Registration No. The size of dust particles are larger compared to biomass burning or vehicular emissions. Concerns over respiratory illnesses related to environmental toxins on By Sophie Wodzak,Emily Cochrane and Lisa Friedman. 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. We are mainly responsible for the destructive changes in the environment. In recent time it has been seen that the pollution is increasing day by day. Air pollution is a familiar environmental health hazard. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. editors@nepalitimes.com | www.nepalitimes.com | www.himalmedia.com | Tel: 01-5005602 Therefore, this study investigates the presence and abundance of microplastic in lake surface water . Sunil Paudel, Basudevs son, stopped going on morning walks last year after learning that Kathmandus air quality was reaching unsafe levels. All of these vehicles degrade the air quality by emitting huge quantities of smoke into the ambient environment. The birds identified as having the disease, named . Minnesota moves to crack down on catalytic converter thefts | AP News The leaves of plants are covered in dust particles which limits the photosynthesis rate and affects the plants growth and natural beauty. Trans-boundary pollution can affect our air quality too as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, connected to Nepal, are also polluted. 18/11/2022. 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. This year, I have already started feeling different. In Nepal, COPD is the second major cause of death after Ischemic Heart Diseases. purely b. wisely c. competentlyd. 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. Nifty-129.. NSE Gainer-Large Cap . , , , , . Geyh-Bouwer Trainee Practice Award | Johns Hopkins | Bloomberg School 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. 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. 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. This is a very great decision taken by the government. Last modified on Fri 3 Mar 2023 20.17 EST. In 2000 / 2001 there were 24,003 vehicles registered in Kathmandu and this has increased dramatically to 79,822 in 2015 / 2016. 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. 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. "And it wasn't just the . There has also been a 25% increase in the number of vehicles on the roads. Air pollution in Kathmandu - The Ecologist Many scientists and environmental specialists all over the world have studied the harmful effect of plastic in detail and all of them are of the same view regarding the degree of harm they represent. Air Pollution - The New York Times Sign up for our WEEKLY newsletters - and never miss out on the amazing news and comment articles we publish. ? 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. In terms of air pollution, the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranked Nepal 177th out of 180 countries. 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.. Globally, air pollution results in around sevenmillion deaths annually. 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 Site By: Hiti Design, On Monday night, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in parts of Kathmandu crossed 500, according to measurements at the. While the quality of air in some of these places has degraded tremendously, air quality in other places is becoming increasingly unhealthy. Pollution from India unlikely to reach Kathmandu, but Nepal needs to Most make various performance claims based on lab tests but factors like the masks fit play important roles. Fewer, though still substantial minorities ranging between 40% and 45% . A general view of a street during a smoggy day as the government has orderedschoolsto close for four days after the air pollution climbed to hazardous levels, forcing millions of students to stay home across the country, in Kathmandu, Nepal March 30, 2021. This indicates, around a quarter of the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. In Nepal, around 8,700 people, mainly women and children, die prematurely each year due to illnesses related to indoor air pollution from solid biomass fuel burning [8]. 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. 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. Officials at Nepals only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights. Hourly AQI data showed Simara's air quality as very hazardous at 8:00 am. Write an article to be published in a local newspaper in about 100 The Ecologist is an environmental news and analysis website with a focus on environmental, social and economic justice. Q : Which country has the highest number of time zones. 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 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. Kathmandu Valley has seen a rapid increase in vehicle numbers in the last 15 years. Thanking you. The moves sets the stage for the agency to issue tighter controls on mercury, a neurotoxin emitted by power plants. Between 301 and 400 (maroon), the air quality is at a hazardous level; it has more severe health implications. Required fields are marked *. There is a proportionately very high consumption of gasoline and diesel inthe valley. Implication of Air Pollution on Health Effects in Nepal: Lessons from Every year, 35,000 people in Nepal die from illnesses related to air contaminants. Similarly, the hotel business (khaja ghar) of Ram Karki has also slowed down majorly due to road dust emission. 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. 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.. 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 the. There is a proportionately very high consumption of gasoline and diesel in the valley. Spain. Legal provisions should be made in order for people to manage solid wastes properly. A Love Beyond Measure: The Unforgettable Reunion, , . 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. Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights. "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 pollution is one of the greatest threats of the world today. The environment has been in a better condition. According to Tuladhar, New Delhi was able to immediately swing into action because it had an action plan to deal with the crisis. 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. Non-smokers in Kathmandu are now suffering from diseases that you would expect to see afflicting chain smokers. This company thinks bacteria can help fix fashion's water pollution problem. The paradox of air pollution in the Kathmandu valley In Cities, Reducing Air Pollution Could Lower Cancer Rates At Similar If there is any health advisory from the government, our family will stop going on regular morning walks, said Sunil. The measurement between 201 and 300 is said to be very unhealthy (purple) and states 'health warnings of emergency conditions'. 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. This may collapse the whole ecosystem in general. Air pollution hits alarming levels in Nepal, schools closed Located between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters, the Himalayan nation is seeing the worst pollution levels since 2016. hit their highest in the capital since the government began keeping records in 2016, government official Shankar Paudel told Reuters. 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. 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. We all have been well aware about the problem of environmental pollution which has been very petrifying to the living beings. Air Pollution and Your Health - National Institute of Environmental Thereportsays that 100% of the population in India lives in areas where PM2.5 levels are higher than the WHO Air Quality Guideline. By Leah Douglas. It urges the polluters to pay for the damage done to the natural environment. It remained at above 500 from 10PM till 5AM, falling to 480 at 7AM on Tuesday. The Threat of Ambient Air Pollution in Kathmandu, Nepal - Hindawi Furthermore, the life expectancy in the Kathmandu Valley is four years less than that of other Nepalese regions. One of the cheapest energy sources. 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. Similarly, one-fifth of the total diesel is used in Kathmandu. 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. The Geyh-Bouwer Trainee Practice Award recognizes students whose application of science demonstrates the betterment of the environment and/or public health. 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. 2426/077-78 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. 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. Nepal closes schools as air pollution hits alarming levels - Al Jazeera Water In Crisis - Spotlight Nepal - The Water Project And residents of the capital who smoke get a double whammy. Pollution in Nepal - 724 Words | 123 Help Me Ever since the lockdown started in Nepal, there has been a . Novel method of analyzing microplastic particle pollution can The victims of air pollution urgently require an appropriate action plan for mitigating these problems. Phoenix Motorcars wins grant with Houston Metro and EasyMile for On hand was Marcia Bernicat of the US Bureau of Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. Air quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available. That compares with the governments standard level of 40 micrograms per cubic metre. 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. Tags: environment, pollution, Philippines Coronavirus Bulletin Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. 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.. 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. Once again, Kathmandu breathes world's most polluted air, AQI hits 303. The effect of dust is not limited to human beings, but is also felt byplants, particularly to those closer to the road. Find out more. This can significantly affect the local environment and the health of people living nearby. However, the record-breaking pollution this winter will add to the risk of the coronavirus. In Nepal, 35,000 people die annually due to illnesses caused by polluted air. 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. World news on global warming, climate change, wildlife, pollution, carbon business and climate politics. The leaves of plants are covered indust particles which limits the photosynthesis rate and affects the plants growth and natural beauty. In addition, vehicles passing over broken or traveled roadrelease huge amounts of dust particles into the air, worsening air pollution further. 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. Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, has a population of around3.5 million. A paper published in the December 2000 volume of the International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences on pollution in the Narayani placed the blame squarely on the Gorkha Brewery (and a paper mill that has since closed down) for much of the pollution in Nepal's third-largest river. 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 . (left). Because indoor air pollution levels are also high, ideally you would have to wear a mask 24 hours a day, says Pangeni. (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. But public outrage does not seem to translate into action to clean up the air. Getting prepared now will make that transition smoother. Nepal's schools close as air pollution hits alarming levels 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 can significantly affect the local environment and the health of people living nearby. EIAs must be submitted to Nepal's Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE) for approval, whereas IEEs can be approved by other relevant ministries. 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. Copper multifaceted interferences during swine wastewater treatment in high rate algal ponds: Alterations on nutrient removal, biomass composition and resource recovery. Editor Online: Sahina Shrestha | Executive Editor: Sonia Awale Dealing with a problem that is transboundary in nature requires strong regional cooperation, she said. The garbage should be properly disposed and managed. One of those rivers is the Melamchi, about 25 . Only a year ago, snow clad mountains shone brightly in the winter and we could see the mountains and hills clearly. Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, has a population of around 3.5 million. Yet, 2022 could prove to be a seminal year for the environment, with . Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained:Manybusinesseshavegone down due to high amount of road dust.