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. Similarly, the hotel business (khaja ghar) of Ram Karki has also slowed down majorly due to road dust emission. Nifty-129.. NSE Gainer-Large Cap . However, the record-breaking pollution this winter will add to the risk of the coronavirus. 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. newspaper article on environmental pollution in nepal 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. 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. Kathmandu valley requireshalf of the total gasoline consumed in Nepal. However, the vast portion of pollution is generated locally. 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. But public health specialists discount their efficacy and stress that the best solution is to reduce air pollution at sources. Air pollution is also the main environmental risk factor for non-communicable diseases like cancers and lung diseases, concludes a recent report by the NCD Alliance and the Forum of International Respiratory Scientists: The challenge is great, but the cure is straight-forward it must be met by national, regional, local and personal responses. There is a proportionately very high consumption of gasoline and diesel inthe valley. 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. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. 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. This indicates, around a quarterof the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. 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 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. Phil Murphy but which has yet to take full effect should prevent the . 25th Jan, 2023. 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. . Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters. Every year, we witness a surge in air pollution during the winter season. 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]. 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. Adriana Paulo de Sousa Oliveira, Paula Assemany, Lidiane Covell, Maria Lcia Calijuri. Kathmandu has dangerous levels of air and water pollution, making certain regions of the city nearly unlivable. New WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines aim to save millions of lives 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. 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. Nepal is not far behind with 98% of its people living in such areas. Q : Which one is the capital of Spain. 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. 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. Air pollution is even more dangerous than previously thought, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned . The smoke generated from the wildfires worsened the pollution, according to an officer at the Division. 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 effect of dust is not limited to human beings, but is also felt by plants, particularly to those closer to the road. . The US Environmental Protection Agency gave the all clear for residents to return home shortly after the February 3 derailment and controlled burn that followed. 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. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Of six environmental problems facing the U.S., Americans remain most worried about those that affect water quality. News article on environment pollutation in nepal to be published in The garbage should be properly disposed and managed. Despite public awareness and relentless media coverage, Kathmandus air quality has worsened in the past two years. Kakhara Madhyam Pvt. 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. Philippines Scrambles to Contain Oil Spill and Locate Sunken Fuel Tanker Atmospheric greenhouse gases reach record high, latest essay from our Megamorphosis series now. Dealing with a problem that is transboundary in nature requires strong regional cooperation, she said. 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. Find out more. I have started wearing a mask whenever Im outdoors.. The country of 30 million people lies in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters. 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. ? 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. The World Health Organisation ('WHO') has reported that PM2.5 levels of particulate matter in urban areas of Nepal . I dont remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past, Khadka told Reuters. 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 Department of Environments own measuring station in parts of Kathmandu showed the AQI staying above 400 all day on Monday. Air pollution has been a major problem of 21st century for both developed and developing world. But it shall be helpful only if it is implemented. Nepal's Environment Protection Rules 2020 (2077) lists projects that need IEEs under Schedule 2, and those that need EIAs under Schedule 3. 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. There are dozens of varieties of masks available in the market, along with air purifiers that cost more than Rs130,000. A mask at best is a temporary solution and does not block harmful gases. Apex court orders acceptance of writ against PM, dubbed one of the most polluted cities in the world, air pollution levels reaching nearly 10 times healthy limits, 22 of the worlds most polluted cities in 2018, ranked Nepal the eighth most polluted country, PM2.5 level for Kathmandu in 2018 was 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter (g/m3, deteriorating quality of air in Kathmandu Valley, Overextraction and shrinking open spaces cause groundwater depletion in Kathmandu Valley, As season of forest fires starts, authorities alert public to risks, History and politics of Nepals school education, Insurgency-era victims of sexual crimes still unheard. 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. This company thinks bacteria can help fix fashion's water pollution problem. In Chabahil, Sunil remains concerned for his fathers health, who continues to take his walk despite the morning haze. This year, I have already started feeling different. With neighbouring India and China committed to manufacturing only electric automobiles by 2030, Nepal will be forced to go electric. Furthermore, the life expectancy in the Kathmandu Valley is four years less than that of other Nepalese regions. One of those rivers is the Melamchi, about 25 . This can significantly affect the local environment and the health of people living nearby. 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. 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. 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. Environmental Pollution | ScienceDirect.com by Elsevier 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. 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. 12 February 2021. 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 gendered impacts of indoor air pollution in Nepal's - ICIMOD Average life expectancy is reduced by at least four years in the worst-affected areas like Kathmandu Valley, Chitwan and other parts of the Tarai. 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. Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained: Many businesses have gone down due to high amount of road dust. Their effectiveness also varies depending on the work place, environment and fitting. Subsequent increase in number of vehicles is one of the main culprits of air pollution [ 33, 34 ]. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. 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. But the Narayani's problems go back further. But public outrage does not seem to translate into action to clean up the air. A breakdown of whats known, and whats not, about the incident and its aftermath. 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 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. 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 A visit to East Palestine from the head of the E.P.A. This may collapse the whole ecosystem in general. 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. 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. Other global AQI measurement sites like. Air pollution on the Nepali side is mostly locally generated.. 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). editors@nepalitimes.com | www.nepalitimes.com | www.himalmedia.com | Tel: 01-5005602 There are dozens of types of masks available in Kathmandu. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. In Nepal, 35,000 people die annually due to illnesses caused by polluted air. Colorifix thinks bacteria can fix fashion's water pollution problem Rapid and haphazard urbanisation in the last few decades has resulted in the degradation of the environment, predominantly in terms of air pollution. The paradox of air pollution in the Kathmandu valley 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. And residents of the capital who smoke get a double whammy. 2022: Emergency mode for the environment. Recently the government has decided that the plastics that are less than 40 microns will be banned from use from the month of Shrawan 2078. Factors contributing to this level of pollution are local," said Shankar Prasad Paudel, information officer with the Department of Environment. Nepal, especially Kathmandu, in the current situation, is observing rapid urbaniz This is a very great decision taken by the government. The victims of air pollution urgently require an appropriate action plan . - . says that 100% of the population in India lives in areas where PM2.5 levels are higher than the WHO Air Quality Guideline. , Change the direct speech to indirect speech; She said, "I am going to London today". International breweries are polluting Nepalese rivers Letter to the editor of The Rising Nepal about the environmental Nepal isn't short of water, thanks to the monsoon rains and the rivers that bring meltwater down from the Himalayan glaciers and snowpack. Q : Only continent in the world without a desert is. Air pollution has had a massive impact on Nepalese people. 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 disease caused by plastics discovered in seabirds With New Delhi and parts of northern India suffering under hazardous pollution levels, Nepal needs to take heed and prepare accordingly, environmental activists say. 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. Thanks for contacting us. 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. World news on global warming, climate change, wildlife, pollution, carbon business and climate politics. For many influencers across the political spectrum, claims about the environmental effects of the train derailment have gone far beyond known facts. Plastic pollution: Effects on environment - The Himalayan Times Non-smokers in Kathmandu are now suffering from diseases that you would expect to see afflicting chain smokers. Geyh-Bouwer Trainee Practice Award | Johns Hopkins | Bloomberg School Introduction. Strong laws related to environment should be made and implemented. The World Air Quality Project's index stood at 515 at that time while that of the Department of Environment (DoE) stood at 490. The 3rd leading cause of death in low and middle-income countries is COPD, 5th leading cause is Lower Respiratory Infections and seventh is Diarrheal diseases. But poor air quality from as far as New Delhi cannot penetrate deep into Nepal.. 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 News from Indian environment including wildlife like tiger, lion, elephants. 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. Similarly, the hotel business (khaja ghar) of Ram Karki has also slowed down majorly due to road dust emission. 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 . By Sophie Wodzak,Emily Cochrane and Lisa Friedman. Globally, air pollution results in around sevenmillion deaths annually. But this winter, the haze barely let us see through it. 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. The government has also decided to sell the natural minerals like sand, rocks, mud etc to India. The agency, along with local and . Minnesota moves to crack down on catalytic converter thefts | AP News 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. 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. The victims of air pollution urgently require an appropriate action plan for mitigating these problems. In terms of air pollution, the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI)ranked Nepal 177thout of 180 countries. Air pollution frequently causes osteoporosis, heart attacks, dementia and kidney diseases. 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 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. Donate to The Ecologist and support high impact environmental journalism and analysis. Collective action from many sectors is needed to assure that everyone can breathe clean air.. Pollution from India unlikely to reach Kathmandu, but Nepal needs to When will women lead big political parties? This is what we learned. D espite public awareness and relentless media coverage, Kathmandu's air quality has worsened in the past two years. 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. Air pollution shortens lives more than any other external cause. Coca-Cola is named world's worst plastic polluter for a fifth year. For example, an EIA for a major highway would need . It has a negative impact on various environmental aspects which directly or indirectly affect the quality of human health. The victims of air pollutionurgently requirean appropriate action plan for mitigating these problems. Other global AQI measurement sites likeIQAirput Kathmandus pollution level at 487 the highest among cities in the region. "Trans-boundary pollution can affect our air quality too as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, connected to Nepal, are also polluted. That compares with the governments standard level of 40 micrograms per cubic metre. Nepal's schools close as air pollution hits alarming levels The traffic on the most part seemed to move along without any fuss. Taking action to tackle the pollution in Nepal Q : Which country has the highest number of time zones. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The theme for World Environment Day (5 June) is #BeatAirPollution. 'We need to transform our commitment into action that will have an impact on the gases that drive climate change.'. 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. Photo: Skanda Gautam/THT, A screenshot showing Air Quality Index (AQI) for various cities as measured at 8 am on Thursday, March 25, 2021. hit their highest in the capital since the government began keeping records in 2016, government official Shankar Paudel told Reuters. Nepali lawmakers tend to shun study and researchwith rare exceptions, Healthy youth presence perks up Lumbini Provincial Assembly. This site is using cookies under cookie policy . Air pollution is cutting more than 2 years from billions of - CNN US to Toughen Water Pollution Rules for Meat Plants 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. Butair pollution issues are continue to increase. ONTARIO, Calif., Sept. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kickstarting the autonomous bus revolution in the US, the city of Houston is set to receive the first Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Buy America-compliant mid-size autonomous bus in the US. Nearly two weeks after a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, confusing messages from government officials have frayed locals trust. Or, download a free sample copy of a past issue of Resurgence & Ecologist. FEATURED FUNDS. Similarly, Dhangadhi was third in line to have the most degraded air quality among the list of stations measuring the AQI. Sign up for our WEEKLY newsletters - and never miss out on the amazing news and comment articles we publish. editors@nepalitimes.com | www.nepalitimes.com | www.himalmedia.com | Tel: 01-5005602 Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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). Haze engulfs Kathmandu valley as the air pollution increases to unhealthy levels, on Wednesday, March 24, 2021. The haze has become a part of our environment, impeding our view and lowering our visibility. 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. This indicates, around a quarter of the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. Implication of Air Pollution on Health Effects in Nepal: Lessons from 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. 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. 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 . In . 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. The environment has been in a better condition. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. A man performs morning workout with smog covering Kathmandu, Copyright 2023 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. Therefore, it is advised that everyone should avoid all outdoor exertions. 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. Nepal Air Quality Index (AQI) and Air Pollution information | IQAir While the quality of air in some of these places has degraded tremendously, air quality in other places is becoming increasingly unhealthy. Under the US Clean Water Act, the EPA regulates wastewater discharge from meat and poultry plants into . 2426/077-78 The major effect of air pollution can be mainly observed in the cities such as Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Nepalgunj, and Lumbini. But public outrage does not seem to translate into action to clean up the air. 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.