The effect of dust is not limited to human beings, but is also felt by plants, particularly to those closer to the road. Even before Covid-19, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had warned that poorair qualityin northern India and the Tarai was already thereducing average lifespanof tens of millions of people by 3.7 years. The country of 30 . The moves sets the stage for the agency to issue tighter controls on mercury, a neurotoxin emitted by power plants. For example, an EIA for a major highway would need . I dont remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past, Khadka told Reuters. climbed to hazardous levels, forcing millions of students to stay home across the country. The entire population is more likely to be affected. Kathmandu Valley has seen a rapid increase in vehicle numbers in the last 15 years. 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. 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. Donate to The Ecologist and support high impact environmental journalism and analysis. AQI levels in north India and Nepal on 5 January at 8AM showing Kathmandu's much higher pollution levels compared to New Delhi. Majorities express "a great deal" of worry about the pollution of both drinking water (56%) and rivers, lakes and reservoirs (53%). Collective action from many sectors is needed to assure that everyone can breathe clean air.. Ltd. Mhepi-16, Kathmandu, Nepal Company Reg. Thefts of the pollution control devices from cars and trucks more than quadrupled from 3,389 in 2019 to 14,433 in 2020, and jumped dramatically again in 2021 . 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. Rather than benefits, morning walks could have serious health impacts, Sunil said. This can significantly affect the local environment and the health of people living nearby. Air pollution is a chronic problem in the rapidly growing capital city of Kathmandu and an additional headache for the government, which is struggling to contain the coronavirus pandemic. It has a negative impact on various environmental aspects which directly or indirectly affect the quality of human health. Also, news . Required fields are marked *. With New Delhi and parts of northern India suffering under hazardous pollution levels, Nepal needs to take heed and prepare accordingly, environmental activists say. , , , , . It is a major threat to global health and prosperity. 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. The leaves of plants are covered in dust particles which limits the photosynthesis rate and affects the plants growth and natural beauty. 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 government has also decided to sell the natural minerals like sand, rocks, mud etc to India. 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. put Kathmandus pollution level at 487 the highest among cities in the region. SAMPLE 2. 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. The guidelines recommend new air quality levels to protect the health of populations, by reducing levels of key air pollutants, some of which . Nestled between China and India - two of the world's biggest polluters - Nepal often . Thepolluter pays' principlewas introduced in1972 in order to address this issue. Espaol. A new disease caused solely by plastics has been discovered in seabirds. Barun Poudel, a senior meteorologist at the Meteorological Forecasting Division, says that the chances of pollution travelling as far north as Kathmandu from Indian cities are slim, but that Nepali cities bordering India have already seen some impacts. Efforts for improving air quality should be of utmost priority now so that safety of citizens' health can be ensured. Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the world's biggest polluters. An article by three Brazilian researchers published in Environmental Science and Pollution Research aims to contribute to progress in this field by proposing a novel perspective on particle . 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. Globally, air pollution results in around sevenmillion deaths annually. A visit to East Palestine from the head of the E.P.A. By Sophie Wodzak,Emily Cochrane and Lisa Friedman. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. But poor air quality from as far as New Delhi cannot penetrate deep into Nepal.. Thanking you. Q : Emu bird is found in the country. Factors contributing to this level of pollution are local," said Shankar Prasad Paudel, information officer with the Department of Environment. hit their highest in the capital since the government began keeping records in 2016, government official Shankar Paudel told Reuters. Similarly, the hotel business (khaja ghar) of Ram Karki has also slowed down majorly due to road dust emission. At times, it feels like my eyes are burning, said 34-year-old Sunil. 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]. This means Kathmandus pollution has been 15 times higher than the WHO standard. 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.. Nepal is a landlocked nation with the current population of over 27 million people. 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. On hand was Marcia Bernicat of the US Bureau of Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs. Factors contributing to this level of pollution are local, said Shankar Prasad Paudel, information officer with the Department of Environment. 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 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. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh recently concluded that surgical masks blocked 80% of particles sized 0.007 microns. Or, download a free sample copy of a past issue of Resurgence & Ecologist. That said, old diesel vehicles are contributing significantly to the poor air quality in the city. There are dozens of varieties of masks available in the market, along with air purifiers that cost more than Rs130,000. Butair pollution issues are continue to increase. But public outrage does not seem to translate into action to clean up the air. EIAs must be submitted to Nepal's Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE) for approval, whereas IEEs can be approved by other relevant ministries. Health alert must be imposed on everyone as everybody is prone to experience more serious health effects. The leaves of plants are covered indust particles which limits the photosynthesis rate and affects the plants growth and natural beauty. By Leah Douglas. It said that air pollution is dependent on weather system, and due to this fact, the pollution may last for some time or may worsen further with the passing of time. Publisher: Kunda Dixit, Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu Publisher: Kunda Dixit, Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu 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. "Trans-boundary pollution can affect our air quality too as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, connected to Nepal, are also polluted. Take your pick, but remember the best thing is to reduce the source of pollution. Air pollution on the Nepali side is mostly locally generated.. The World Health Organisation ('WHO') has reported that PM2.5 levels of particulate matter in urban areas of Nepal . There is a proportionately very high consumption of gasoline and diesel inthe valley. There will be complications in irrigation facility, deforestation will take place and landslides may occur, the water resources will get soaked. On Wednesday, the daily average PM 2.5 level for the western city clocked around 200, which is deemed unhealthy. The US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has also colour coded various AQI levels at Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Purple, and Maroon. The high mountains around the Kathmandu valley allows air pollution to accumulate inthe city. The environment of the industrial areas should be properly managed by the industries and concerned agencies. A man performs morning workout with smog covering Kathmandu, Copyright 2023 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. 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. World news on global warming, climate change, wildlife, pollution, carbon business and climate politics. Nepal is not far behind with 98% of its people living in such areas. It is now causing heart attacks, kidney diseases, osteoporosis and dementia. Department of Information Registration No. This is a very great decision taken by the government. Strong laws related to environment should be made and implemented. In 2017, the Department of Environment had drafted an action plan to tackle the deteriorating quality of air in Kathmandu Valley. 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. Around 100 people die every day in Nepal because of air pollution. However, two years later, the action plan has neither been finalised nor enforced. According to Tuladhar, New Delhi was able to immediately swing into action because it had an action plan to deal with the crisis. 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 values between 151 and 200 are categorised as unhealthy. 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. Our environment determines our health and civilization. 25th Jan, 2023. A mask at best is a temporary solution and does not block harmful gases. 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. From his home in Kathmandus Chabahil, Basudevs walks take him around Pashupatinath Temple and the Guheshwori area. But this winter, the haze barely let us see through it. 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. We've received your submission. The strategy guiding the work for The Ecologist for the years 2023 to 2026 has now been published. 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. In Nepal, 35,000 people die annually due to illnesses caused by polluted air. "And it wasn't just the . But it shall be helpful only if it is implemented. Such particles will not reach Kathmandu because it is surrounded by hills. Sonia Awale May 31, 2019. 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. Change to compound, We took a tour of the most amazing Chateau during our holiday, which we discovered . by accident.a. 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. 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. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. El descarrilamiento en East Palestine, Ohio, se ha convertido en uno de los incidentes ms mediticos y ms politizados de su tipo en los ltimos aos. The traffic on the most part seemed to move along without any fuss. UNICEF, on Wednesday, issued a statement calling for urgent action to address this air quality crisis in South Asia. This trend is increasing rapidly and it is estimated that urban population will reach 60 million by 2040 [ 32 ]. 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. of tens of millions of people by 3.7 years. Because indoor air pollution levels are also high, ideally you would have to wear a mask 24 hours a day, says Pangeni. Located between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters, the Himalayan nation is seeing the worst pollution levels since 2016. Macrotech Developers Ltd. 997.35 152.6. Ever since the lockdown started in Nepal, there has been a . The government should ban the use of old vehicles. Environmental Health issues are a not major risk factors for the Global Burden of Diseases. 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. Air pollution frequently causes osteoporosis, heart attacks, dementia and kidney diseases.