Rapid and haphazard urbanisation in the last few decades has resulted in the degradation of the environment, predominantly in terms of air pollution. 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. The air in Kathmandu, already dubbed one of the most polluted cities in the world, gets worse once the winter sets in. 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. The World Air Quality Project's index stood at 515 at that time while that of the Department of Environment (DoE) stood at 490. 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. The size of dust particles are larger compared to biomass burning or vehicular emissions. With New Delhi and parts of northern India suffering under hazardous pollution levels, Nepal needs to take heed and prepare accordingly, environmental activists say. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. Philippines Scrambles to Contain Oil Spill and Locate Sunken Fuel Tanker 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 . purely b. wisely c. competentlyd. Reuters. This index is coloured red. editors@nepalitimes.com | www.nepalitimes.com | www.himalmedia.com | Tel: 01-5005602 Even before Covid-19, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had warned that poor, in northern India and the Tarai was already the. 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. 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. 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. , Change the direct speech to indirect speech; She said, "I am going to London today". 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. The views expressed in the articles published on this site may not necessarily reflect those of the trust, its trustees or its staff. Whilstthis shows an improvement over the course of one year, when observing datataken from the capital city . But air pollution issues are continue to increase. 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. 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. The entire population is more likely to be affected. "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. Southeast Asia has emerged as a hot spot for plastic pollution . This may collapse the whole ecosystem in general. However, two years later, the action plan has neither been finalised nor enforced. The environment has been in a better condition. There are dozens of varieties of masks available in the market, along with air purifiers that cost more than Rs130,000. According to Tuladhar, New Delhi was able to immediately swing into action because it had an action plan to deal with the crisis. "And it wasn't just the . We need to be extra careful because by the time we reach peak pollution levels, we will be gearing up to launch Visit Nepal 2020, said Tuladhar. And residents of the capital who smoke get a double whammy. Yours sincerely, Rajesh. 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, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters. News about Air Pollution, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times. Air pollution is a chronic problem in . 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. 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. We human beings have been using the natural resources profusely. Q : Which country has the highest number of time zones. Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking. The values between 151 and 200 are categorised as unhealthy. This indicates, around a quarter of the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. 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. A road-widening spree, earthquake destruction and delays in fixing streets . Plastic waste is a growing menace, and a wasted opportunity I have started wearing a mask whenever Im outdoors.. Factors contributing to this level of pollution are local, said Shankar Prasad Paudel, information officer with the Department of Environment. Prices range from Rs10 to Rs10,500. The gendered impacts of indoor air pollution in Nepal's - ICIMOD Photo: Skanda Gautam/THT, A screenshot showing Air Quality Index (AQI) for various cities as measured at 8 am on Thursday, March 25, 2021. Thanks for contacting us. The US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has also colour coded various AQI levels at Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Purple, and Maroon. 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. 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. The Geyh-Bouwer Trainee Practice Award recognizes students whose application of science demonstrates the betterment of the environment and/or public health. 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 COP27 sponsor's products were the most commonly found items by volunteers researching plastic pollution. A new disease caused solely by plastics has been discovered in seabirds. 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 has been a major problem of 21st century for both developed and developing world. Indeed, a long-term solution requires policy level intervention and coordination between all branches of government. 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. Publisher: Kunda Dixit, Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu 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. The study sounds the alarm that the growing global problem, which scientists are only beginning to understand, requires urgent and immediate action. 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. 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. Most make various performance claims based on lab tests but factors like the masks fit play important roles. Trans-boundary pollution can affect our air quality too as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, connected to Nepal, are also polluted. Kakhara Madhyam Pvt. 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. 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. Submissions In Chabahil, Sunil remains concerned for his fathers health, who continues to take his walk despite the morning haze. Furthermore, the life expectancy in the Kathmandu Valley is four years less than that of other Nepalese regions. Sign up for our WEEKLY newsletters - and never miss out on the amazing news and comment articles we publish. News article on environment pollutation in nepal to be published in at Phora Darbar. Similarly, one-fifth of the total diesel is used inKathmandu. The traffic on the most part seemed to move along without any fuss. A visit to East Palestine from the head of the E.P.A. Air pollution frequently causes osteoporosis, heart attacks, dementia and kidney diseases. 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. 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]. On Monday night, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in parts of Kathmandu crossed 500, according to measurements at theUS Embassy measuring stationat Phora Darbar. Also, news . What's in the Air of Nepal? Filling Gaps in Pollution Data Thereportsays that 100% of the population in India lives in areas where PM2.5 levels are higher than the WHO Air Quality Guideline. Q : Emu bird is found in the country. Air pollution on the Nepali side is mostly locally generated.. 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. Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, has a population of around3.5 million. Nepali lawmakers tend to shun study and researchwith rare exceptions, Healthy youth presence perks up Lumbini Provincial Assembly. Besides the quantity of fuel consumption, the poor road conditionof older vehicles istriggeringair quality problems in the valley. Motorcycles and passenger vehicles such as jeeps, cars and vansaccountedfor 92 percentof total registered vehicles in Bagmatiby the end of 2014-15. 'A waste of time and money': Why are EIAs so ineffective in Nepal? systema 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. We've received your submission. 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]. This site is using cookies under cookie policy . The polluter pays' principle was introduced in 1972 in order to address this issue. 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. 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. AQ AirVisual, on Thursday, also ranked Kathmandu the ninth most polluted city in the world, with PM2.5 levels reaching 139 g/m3the level at which the air becomes unhealthy for sensitive groups, as per the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Air Quality Index. 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. Required fields are marked *. 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. The latest edition of Resurgence & Ecologist is out now, and available to buy. 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. Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the world's biggest polluters. The recent Environmental Performance Index 2016 has suggested increase in overall PM 2.5 in Nepal over the last decade. Our aim is to educate and inform as many people as possible about the wonders of nature, the crisis we face and the best solutions and methods in managing that crisis. 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. New Study Finds Ocean Pollution a Threat to Human Health The funds are the first . 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. AQI is a composite measurement of the concentration . 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. It is a call to mobilize, say the authors who . Air pollution crisis in South Asia causing massive loss of pregnancies and a White House pledge to lend more support were met with skepticism in the community. It remained at above 500 from 10PM till 5AM, falling to 480 at 7AM on Tuesday. Adriana Paulo de Sousa Oliveira, Paula Assemany, Lidiane Covell, Maria Lcia Calijuri. 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. The size of dust particles are larger compared to biomass burning or vehicular emissions. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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 quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available. 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. Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained:Manybusinesseshavegone down due to high amount of road dust. The same report ranked Nepal the eighth most polluted country in the world. But the Narayani's problems go back further. It urges the polluters to pay for the damage done to the natural environment. The moves sets the stage for the agency to issue tighter controls on mercury, a neurotoxin emitted by power plants. The derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals upended a region of Ohio where generations of families could afford to buy acres of land, raise livestock and plant gardens. 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. Afforestation should begin and deforestation should come to an end. There are cloth masks and surgical ones, some are disposable but many use replaceable filters. The leaves of plants are covered indust particles which limits the photosynthesis rate and affects the plants growth and natural beauty. Pollution in Nepal - 724 Words | 123 Help Me 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. 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. newspaper article on environmental pollution in nepal Taking action to tackle the pollution in Nepal once done will text u on pint nd ins, I saw a fantastic film yesterday. 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]. Nepal is a landlocked nation with the current population of over 27 million people. The Biden Administration will make $250 million in grants available to develop strategies to cut climate pollution, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday. 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 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 governments standard level is 40 micrograms per cubic metre. This is also indicated in maroon. Every year, 35,000 people in Nepal die from illnesses related to air contaminants. 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. The CPV power plant operates in Woodbridge N.J. on Feb. 27, 2023. Iturges the polluters to pay for thedamage done to the natural environment. Once again, Kathmandu breathes world's most polluted air, AQI hits 303. Environmental pollution is one of the greatest threats of the world today. Use of pesticides and fertilizers must be controlled. 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. We see fog in the morning and haze in the afternoon due to local dust pollution in the winter season.. Phil Murphy but which has yet to take full effect should prevent the . On Wednesday, the daily average PM 2.5 level for the western city clocked around 200, which is deemed unhealthy. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports fine particulate matter of up to 140 g m-3 - which is around ten times higher than the WHO limit. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service, : Nepal has ordered schools to close for four days after. SAMPLE 2. Therefore, it is advised that everyone should avoid all outdoor exertions. In Press, Journal Pre-proof, Available online 25 February 2023. Officials at Nepals only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights. 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. Smog has blanketed huge swaths of Nepal as air pollution in the Himalayan country soared to hazardous levels. 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. Water In Crisis - Spotlight Nepal - The Water Project Similarly, Dhangadhi was third in line to have the most degraded air quality among the list of stations measuring the AQI. UNICEF, on Wednesday, issued a statement calling for urgent action to address this air quality crisis in South Asia. 2426/077-78 By Leah Douglas. In terms of air pollution, the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI)ranked Nepal 177thout of 180 countries. 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.. Donate to The Ecologist and support high impact environmental journalism and analysis. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. The smoke generated from the wildfires worsened the pollution, according to an officer at the Division. The World Health Organisation (WHO)s guidelines state that AQI should be below 35, and the concentration of particles below 2.5 microns should be below 25 g/mover a 24 hour period. Under the US Clean Water Act, the EPA regulates wastewater discharge from meat and poultry plants into . Modern day Nepal is one of the most polluted and impoverished places in the world. But so far, the government has done almost nothing to control air pollution.. Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the world's biggest polluters. Air pollution in Kathmandu - The Ecologist In Kathmandu, a struggle for water amid worsening floods

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