The garbage should be properly disposed and managed. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. 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. The PM 10 concentration in major cities such as Kathmandu is . The gendered impacts of indoor air pollution in Nepal's - ICIMOD We see fog in the morning and haze in the afternoon due to local dust pollution in the winter season.. Three members of the Paudel family followed suit, but they never gave much thought to the quality of the air they were breathing in. By Sophie Wodzak,Emily Cochrane and Lisa Friedman. Nepal is a landlocked nation with the current population of over 27 million people. 'A waste of time and money': Why are EIAs so ineffective in Nepal? In terms of air pollution, the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranked Nepal 177th out of 180 countries. In Nepal and Kathmandu the annual premature death due to air pollution hit37,399 and 9943 respectively,according to aRepublica news report published on 23 November 2019. The values between 151 and 200 are categorised as unhealthy. 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. 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. China will be the host nation and will showcase its dramatic progress in cutting pollution. Thepolluter pays' principlewas introduced in1972 in order to address this issue. 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. In Kathmandu, a struggle for water amid worsening floods Subsequent increase in number of vehicles is one of the main culprits of air pollution [ 33, 34 ]. 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 (. Nepal Air Quality Index (AQI) and Air Pollution information | IQAir In this level of air quality, everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. PAUL, Minn. (AP) The Minnesota Senate voted Thursday to make it harder for thieves to sell stolen catalytic converters, a crime that has skyrocketed across the country in recent years. A mask at best is a temporary solution and does not block harmful gases. In terms of air pollution, the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI)ranked Nepal 177thout of 180 countries. In Chabahil, Sunil remains concerned for his fathers health, who continues to take his walk despite the morning haze. . 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. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh recently concluded that surgical masks blocked 80% of particles sized 0.007 microns. While the quality of air in some of these places has degraded tremendously, air quality in other places is becoming increasingly unhealthy. Photo: Skanda Gautam/THT, A screenshot showing Air Quality Index (AQI) for various cities as measured at 8 am on Thursday, March 25, 2021. It is a major threat to global health and prosperity. 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]. In recent time it has been seen that the pollution is increasing day by day. 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. The Geyh-Bouwer Trainee Practice Award recognizes students whose application of science demonstrates the betterment of the environment and/or public health. once done will text u on pint nd ins, I saw a fantastic film yesterday. These are the key points that needs to be followed in order to bring a positive change in the environment. 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. Motorcycles and passenger vehicles such as jeeps, cars and vans accounted for 92 percent of total registered vehicles in Bagmati by the end of 2014-15. Taking action to tackle the pollution in Nepal 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. 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. Air Pollution in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley - The Borgen Project 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 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 . 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). Download the latest essay from our Megamorphosis series now. 2022: Emergency mode for the environment - UNEP When will women lead big political parties? Thanks for contacting us. What's in the Air of Nepal? Filling Gaps in Pollution Data 22 September 2021. The funds are the first . The transport sector further contributes 30 percent of PM10 particles, which are smaller than a grain of sand and can easily pass through the hairs in our nose, second only to the construction sector, which emits 53 percent of the total PM10. Nepal, especially Kathmandu, in the current situation, is observing rapid urbaniz 'Enough pollution' in low-income NJ area with 1 power plant The analysis, based on more than 100 recent peer-reviewed studies, detected over 120 unique PFAS compounds in these animals . On hand was Marcia Bernicat of the US Bureau of Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs. 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 visibility in Kathmandu valley has degraded to a significant level. The Biden Administration will make $250 million in grants available to develop strategies to cut climate pollution, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday. Kathmandu Valley has seen a rapid increase in vehicle numbers in the last 15 years. The Threat of Ambient Air Pollution in Kathmandu, Nepal About three months later, at the present time, the pollution seems to have worsened. But public health specialists discount their efficacy and stress that the best solution is to reduce air pollution at sources. The average exposure for the officers was 51.2 g/m 3, with an hourly maximum of more than 500 g/m 3. Air Pollution - The New York Times Air quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available. 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. New disease caused by plastics discovered in seabirds Every year, we witness a surge in air pollution during the winter season. Environment News, Earth News, Global Warming, Wild Life, Carbon Trading I dont remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past, Khadka told Reuters. Fri 3 Mar 2023 06.19 EST. 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. The level between 401 and 500 is very hazardous. This indicates, around a quarter of the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. 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. 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. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. In recent years, cities in the Tarai have become infamous for the poor quality of their air, mostly because of the heavy presence of industries, dust from construction, and also trans-boundary pollution. The entire population is more likely to be affected. The smoke generated from the wildfires worsened the pollution, according to an officer at the Division. "And it wasn't just the . (left). 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. Required fields are marked *. The Threat of Ambient Air Pollution in Kathmandu, Nepal - Hindawi The EPI recently found Nepal to have the worst air pollution in the world. Microplastic pollution in urban Lake Phewa, Nepal: the first report on Benchmarks . People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. This can significantly affect the local environment and the health of people living nearby. 30 Mar 2021. The World Health Organization (WHO) reportsfine particulate matter of up to 140 g m-3 - which is aroundtentimes higher than the WHO limit. All living being birds, animals, insects, plants and even human beings are victims of pollution. 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. One hour later, at 9:00 am, the air quality at Simara was recorded at 354; second on the list was Bhaisepati in Lalitpur at 196 and third was Dhagadhi at 195 (Department of Environment). But public outrage does not seem to translate into action to clean up the air. We all have been well aware about the problem of environmental pollution which has been very petrifying to the living beings. Macrotech Developers Ltd. 997.35 152.6. 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. 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. Department of Information Registration No. UNICEF, on Wednesday, issued a statement calling for urgent action to address this air quality crisis in South Asia. Letter to the editor of The Rising Nepal about the environmental 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. Kathmandu has dangerous levels of air and water pollution, making certain regions of the city nearly unlivable. Efforts for improving air quality should be of utmost priority now so that safety of citizens' health can be ensured. But air pollution issues are continue to increase. We can classify pollution in many categories such as soil pollution, air pollution, water pollution, and noise . EPA to award $250 million in IRA funds to reduce climate pollution Submissions All news about Environment pollution | Euronews We've received your submission. 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. 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 New road Kathmandu. In Nepal, 35,000 people die annually due to illnesses caused by polluted air. A road-widening spree, earthquake destruction and delays in fixing streets . No: 289512/78/079 VAT No: 610271654 Editor Ashok Silwal Email nepalnamcha@gmail.com, Copyright 2023, , All Rights Reserved | Designed with. Air quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It remained at above 500 from 10PM till 5AM, falling to 480 at 7AM on Tuesday. This has a negative impact on sectors that are critical to many economies, including tourism, shipping and fisheries. 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. 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. newspaper article on environmental pollution in nepal Posted by July 3, 2022 morenci area schools staff on newspaper article on environmental pollution in nepal Similarly, the hotel business (khaja ghar) of Ram Karki has also slowed down majorly due to road dust emission. 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. 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 US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has also colour coded various AQI levels at Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Purple, and Maroon. Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking. 25th Jan, 2023. Similarly, Dhangadhi was third in line to have the most degraded air quality among the list of stations measuring the AQI. It urges the polluters to pay for the damage done to the natural environment. There will be complications in irrigation facility, deforestation will take place and landslides may occur, the water resources will get soaked. Nepal's Environment Protection Rules 2020 (2077) lists projects that need IEEs under Schedule 2, and those that need EIAs under Schedule 3. The World Health Organisation ('WHO') has reported that PM2.5 levels of particulate matter in urban areas of Nepal . This is what we learned. The high mountains around the Kathmandu valley allows air pollution to accumulate inthe city. Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained: Many businesses have gone down due to high amount of road dust. This means Kathmandus pollution has been 15 times higher than the WHO standard. at Phora Darbar. More than 65% of all deaths due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) in 2019 were linked to air pollution in Nepal. The report highlights dire consequences for health, the economy, biodiversity and the climate. Air pollution regularly exceeds recommended safe levels. Your email address will not be published. The recent Environmental Performance Index 2016 has suggested increase in overall PM 2.5 in Nepal over the last decade. Whilstthis shows an improvement over the course of one year, when observing datataken from the capital city . says that 100% of the population in India lives in areas where PM2.5 levels are higher than the WHO Air Quality Guideline. The company's plan to a second gas-fired power plant next to the existing one is being opposed by residents of the mainly minority and low-income communities around the plant who say an environmental justice law signed over two years ago by New Jersey Gov. Pollution means decline of the original qualities of the elements of the environment like air, water, land, etc. Officials at Nepal's only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights. 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 requireshalf of the total gasoline consumed in Nepal. Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained:Manybusinesseshavegone down due to high amount of road dust. Microplastics are man-made pollutants which have been detected in surface water and groundwater. 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. The website is owned and published by The Resurgence Trust, an educational charity. News article on environment pollutation in nepal to be published in In addition, vehicles passing over broken or traveled roadrelease huge amounts of dust particles into the air, worsening air pollution further. Factors contributing to this level of pollution are local, said Shankar Prasad Paudel, information officer with the Department of Environment. It was interesting to note that despite the manic traffic and lack of infrastructure many city roads were dirt tracks, with no traffic lights evident. Prices range from Rs10 to Rs10,500. The major reason for high ambient air pollution in Nepal is largely from traffic related with old . Iturges the polluters to pay for thedamage done to the natural environment. Publisher: Kunda Dixit, Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu and a White House pledge to lend more support were met with skepticism in the community. This is a very unpleasant decision. This index is coloured red. EIAs must be submitted to Nepal's Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE) for approval, whereas IEEs can be approved by other relevant ministries. We chartered a train to Glasgow for COP26 and took 500 people with us. The Department of Environments own measuring station in parts of Kathmandu showed the AQI staying above 400 all day on Monday. The guidelines recommend new air quality levels to protect the health of populations, by reducing levels of key air pollutants, some of which . 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. Introduction. (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. Environmental news, a monthly report on Global - Warm Heart Worldwide Spain. 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 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. Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights. Indeed, a long-term solution requires policy level intervention and coordination between all branches of government. Also, news from United Nations. Besides the quantity of fuel consumption, the poor road conditionof older vehicles istriggeringair quality problems in the valley. 12 February 2021. Top economies responsible for 2 million air pollution deaths worldwide Students participate in activities such as program evaluation and monitoring, public health surveillance, program development, risk assessments and analysis, development of policy briefs . Afforestation should begin and deforestation should come to an end. 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. All of these vehicles degrade the air quality byemitting huge quantitiesof smoke into the ambient environment. Environment pollution in Nepal - Sunil Paudel, Basudevs son, stopped going on morning walks last year after learning that Kathmandus air quality was reaching unsafe levels. Concerns over respiratory illnesses related to environmental toxins on Sonia Awale May 31, 2019. Nepal's schools close as air pollution hits alarming levels On Wednesday, the daily average PM 2.5 level for the western city clocked around 200, which is deemed unhealthy. It remained at above 500 from 10PM till 5AM, falling to 480 at 7AM on Tuesday. Yours sincerely, Rajesh. - . This trend is increasing rapidly and it is estimated that urban population will reach 60 million by 2040 [ 32 ]. 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. The moves reflect residents deep-seated mistrust of government screenings of toxic chemicals and fears of long-term effects from the train derailment. We human beings have been using the natural resources profusely. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. One of the cheapest energy sources. 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). For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service, : Nepal has ordered schools to close for four days after. News from Indian environment including wildlife like tiger, lion, elephants. Or, download a free sample copy of a past issue of Resurgence & Ecologist. of tens of millions of people by 3.7 years. 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. The victims of air pollutionurgently requirean appropriate action plan for mitigating these problems. Every year, 35,000 people in Nepal die from illnesses related to air contaminants. Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the world's biggest polluters. Once again, Kathmandu breathes world's most polluted air, AQI hits 303. 21 October 2021 Climate and Environment. With neighbouring India and China committed to manufacturing only electric automobiles by 2030, Nepal will be forced to go electric. Change to compound, We took a tour of the most amazing Chateau during our holiday, which we discovered . by accident.a. 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 . Coca-Cola is named world's worst plastic polluter for a fifth year. This indicates, around a quarterof the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The theme for World Environment Day (5 June) is #BeatAirPollution. 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. Nepali lawmakers tend to shun study and researchwith rare exceptions, Healthy youth presence perks up Lumbini Provincial Assembly. World news on global warming, climate change, wildlife, pollution, carbon business and climate politics. Adriana Paulo de Sousa Oliveira, Paula Assemany, Lidiane Covell, Maria Lcia Calijuri. Dealing with a problem that is transboundary in nature requires strong regional cooperation, she said. 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. Despite public awareness and relentless media coverage, Kathmandus air quality has worsened in the past two years. The study sounds the alarm that the growing global problem, which scientists are only beginning to understand, requires urgent and immediate action. There are dozens of types of masks available in Kathmandu. 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. 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. 2426/077-78 Geyh-Bouwer Trainee Practice Award | Johns Hopkins | Bloomberg School The Threat of Ambient Air Pollution in Kathmandu, Nepal - ResearchGate "I don't remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past," Khadka told Reuters. 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. Last modified on Fri 3 Mar 2023 20.17 EST. Find out about our mission, and our team, here. The government has also decided to sell the natural minerals like sand, rocks, mud etc to India. ? Fewer, though still substantial minorities ranging between 40% and 45% . Air pollution shortens lives more than any other external cause. Climate & Environment - The Kathmandu Post 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. While asked about the poorest air quality index of the capital city, Shankar Prasad Poudel, information officer for the Department of Environment, said that three major factors have affected the air quality of the Valley.