newspaper article on environmental pollution in nepal

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. Research on microplastic concentration in aquatic environment is attracting scientists from developing countries, but in Nepal no information regarding microplastic in freshwater system is available. There will be complications in irrigation facility, deforestation will take place and landslides may occur, the water resources will get soaked. Butair pollution issues are continue to increase. This can significantly affect the local environment and the health of people living nearby. With New Delhi and parts of northern India suffering under hazardous pollution levels, Nepal needs to take heed and prepare accordingly, environmental activists say. From his home in Kathmandus Chabahil, Basudevs walks take him around Pashupatinath Temple and the Guheshwori area. All of these vehicles degrade the air quality by emitting huge quantities of smoke into the ambient environment. At the same hour, Bhaktapur's air quality degraded as low as 347 (according to The World Air Quality Project) while as per DoE's data it stood at 348. editors@nepalitimes.com | www.nepalitimes.com | www.himalmedia.com | Tel: 01-5005602 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. 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. 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. 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. But air pollution issues are continue to increase. Rather than benefits, morning walks could have serious health impacts, Sunil said. , : Which country has the most number of lakes. Hourly AQI data showed Simara's air quality as very hazardous at 8:00 am. However, the record-breaking pollution this winter will add to the risk of the coronavirus. 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. Air pollution on the Nepali side is mostly locally generated.. 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. This trend is increasing rapidly and it is estimated that urban population will reach 60 million by 2040 [ 32 ]. 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. Efforts for improving air quality should be of utmost priority now so that safety of citizens' health can be ensured. 22 September 2021. 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. Non-smokers in Kathmandu are now suffering from diseases that you would expect to see afflicting chain smokers. But poor air quality from as far as New Delhi cannot penetrate deep into Nepal.. The website is owned and published by The Resurgence Trust, an educational charity. Benchmarks . Also, news from United Nations. 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,. These two are just representative examples of millions of people who are directly or indirectly affected by dust,a burning issue ofthe twenty firstcentury. The Art of Dealing with Breaking Up: Get over those blues and Take Break-Ups Lightly. According to Tuladhar, New Delhi was able to immediately swing into action because it had an action plan to deal with the crisis. The average exposure for the officers was 51.2 g/m 3, with an hourly maximum of more than 500 g/m 3. 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. The visibility in Kathmandu valley has degraded to a significant level. Majorities express "a great deal" of worry about the pollution of both drinking water (56%) and rivers, lakes and reservoirs (53%). ? - . 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Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking cigarettes., Solution to pollution, Pallavi Pant and Anobha Gurung. Kathmandu valley requires half of the total gasoline consumed in Nepal. 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. In 2000 / 2001 there were 24,003 vehicles registered in Kathmandu and this has increased dramatically to 79,822 in 2015 / 2016. Similarly, one-fifth of the total diesel is used in Kathmandu. Editor Online: Sahina Shrestha | Executive Editor: Sonia Awale The leaves of plants are covered indust particles which limits the photosynthesis rate and affects the plants growth and natural beauty. Dealing with a problem that is transboundary in nature requires strong regional cooperation, she said. In terms of air pollution, the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranked Nepal 177th out of 180 countries. The country of 30 million people lies in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters. Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained: Many businesses have gone down due to high amount of road dust. We are mainly responsible for the destructive changes in the environment. The Geyh-Bouwer Trainee Practice Award recognizes students whose application of science demonstrates the betterment of the environment and/or public health. The traffic on the most part seemed to move along without any fuss. More than 65% of all deaths due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) in 2019 were linked to air pollution in Nepal. This may collapse the whole ecosystem in general. Advertisement "Trans-boundary pollution can affect our air quality too as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, connected to Nepal, are also polluted. The EPI recently found Nepal to have the worst air pollution in the world. Change to compound, We took a tour of the most amazing Chateau during our holiday, which we discovered . by accident.a. And with reports of Indias north and its capital New Delhi struggling with extreme air pollution, Sunil wonders how much worse the air will get this winter. The US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has also colour coded various AQI levels at Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Purple, and Maroon. AQI is a composite measurement of the concentration of particulate matter below 10 and 2.5 microns, carbon monoxide, sulphur and nitrogen dioxide and ground ozone. The high mountains around the Kathmandu valley allows air pollution to accumulate in the city. The victims of air pollutionurgently requirean appropriate action plan for mitigating these problems. . The environment of the industrial areas should be properly managed by the industries and concerned agencies. 30 Mar 2021. 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 air in Kathmandu, already dubbed one of the most polluted cities in the world, gets worse once the winter sets in. The government has also decided to sell the natural minerals like sand, rocks, mud etc to India. Smog has blanketed huge swaths of Nepal as air pollution in the Himalayan country soared to hazardous levels. 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 (. There has also been a 25% increase in the number of vehicles on the roads. That compares with the governments standard level of 40 micrograms per cubic metre. 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. This means Kathmandus pollution has been 15 times higher than the WHO standard. Ltd. Mhepi-16, Kathmandu, Nepal Company Reg. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. Subsequent increase in number of vehicles is one of the main culprits of air pollution [ 33, 34 ]. UNICEF, on Wednesday, issued a statement calling for urgent action to address this air quality crisis in South Asia. By Leah Douglas. Your email address will not be published. In Press, Journal Pre-proof, Available online 25 February 2023. 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. 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. Introduction. The air pollution emergency in Kathmandu puts the elderly, those with asthma and other respiratory ailments at high risk, and would be especially dangerous to those with Covid-19. 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. EIAs must be submitted to Nepal's Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE) for approval, whereas IEEs can be approved by other relevant ministries. Rapid and haphazard urbanisation in the last few decades has resulted in the degradation of the environment, predominantly in terms of air pollution. But public outrage does not seem to translate into action to clean up the air. All living being birds, animals, insects, plants and even human beings are victims of pollution. In terms of air pollution, the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI)ranked Nepal 177thout of 180 countries. This indicates, around a quarterof the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. Air quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available. Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the world's biggest polluters. Thanking you. But public health specialists discount their efficacy and stress that the best solution is to reduce air pollution at sources. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. 2426/077-78 The polluter pays' principle was introduced in 1972 in order to address this issue. 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. 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