Phoenix Motorcars wins grant with Houston Metro and EasyMile for A new disease caused solely by plastics has been discovered in seabirds. The World Health Organization (WHO) reportsfine particulate matter of up to 140 g m-3 - which is aroundtentimes higher than the WHO limit. What's in the Air of Nepal? Filling Gaps in Pollution Data Sonia Awale May 31, 2019. 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. The moves reflect residents deep-seated mistrust of government screenings of toxic chemicals and fears of long-term effects from the train derailment. While the quality of air in some of these places has degraded tremendously, air quality in other places is becoming increasingly unhealthy. This is a very unpleasant decision. It is a major threat to global health and prosperity. 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. 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. Download the latest essay from our Megamorphosis series now. The index stood at 214 as per DoE's data. Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking | Nepali Times Their effectiveness also varies depending on the work place, environment and fitting. The Art of Dealing with Breaking Up: Get over those blues and Take Break-Ups Lightly. Southeast Asia has emerged as a hot spot for plastic pollution . 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. Furthermore, the life expectancy in the Kathmandu Valley is four years less than that of other Nepalese regions. In Nepal, 35,000 people die annually due to illnesses caused by polluted air. A mask at best is a temporary solution and does not block harmful gases. The visibility in Kathmandu valley has degraded to a significant level. 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. It may bring various adverse impact to the environment. Advertisement According to Tuladhar, New Delhi was able to immediately swing into action because it had an action plan to deal with the crisis. This indicates, around a quarter of the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. Even before Covid-19, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had warned that poor, in northern India and the Tarai was already the. 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. 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. 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]. News about Air Pollution, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times. Similarly, one-fifth of the total diesel is used in Kathmandu. 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. Publisher: Kunda Dixit, Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu We all have been well aware about the problem of environmental pollution which has been very petrifying to the living beings. Subsequent increase in number of vehicles is one of the main culprits of air pollution [ 33, 34 ]. SAMPLE 2. 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. In recent time it has been seen that the pollution is increasing day by day. Macrotech Developers Ltd. 997.35 152.6. In Cities, Reducing Air Pollution Could Lower Cancer Rates At Similar 2022: Emergency mode for the environment - UNEP Therefore, it is advised that everyone should avoid all outdoor exertions. I dont remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past, Khadka told Reuters. In addition, vehicles passing over broken or traveled road release huge amounts of dust particles into the air, worsening air pollution further. at Phora Darbar. 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. US to Toughen Water Pollution Rules for Meat Plants Nepal is not far behind with 98% of its people living in such areas. 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. 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. (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. Q : Which country has the highest number of time zones. Air Pollution - The New York Times Getting prepared now will make that transition smoother. Motorcycles and passenger vehicles such as jeeps, cars and vansaccountedfor 92 percentof total registered vehicles in Bagmatiby the end of 2014-15. Climate & Environment - The Kathmandu Post We know what we're looking at when brown haze settles over a city, exhaust billows across a busy highway, or a plume rises from a smokestack. In Chabahil, Sunil remains concerned for his fathers health, who continues to take his walk despite the morning haze. Microplastic pollution in urban Lake Phewa, Nepal: the first report on New road Kathmandu. 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. Once again, Kathmandu breathes world's most polluted air, AQI hits 303. 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's Environment Protection Rules 2020 (2077) lists projects that need IEEs under Schedule 2, and those that need EIAs under Schedule 3. The victims of air pollutionurgently requirean appropriate action plan for mitigating these problems. Air pollution in Kathmandu - The Ecologist There has also been a 25% increase in the number of vehicles on the roads. 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. Rivers, ponds and lakes should not be polluted because it affects animals and plants lives too. Phil Murphy but which has yet to take full effect should prevent the . Department of Information Registration No. . To The Editor The . "Every year, we witness a surge in air pollution during the winter season. 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. We see fog in the morning and haze in the afternoon due to local dust pollution in the winter season.. Find out about our mission, and our team, here. 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. 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. Thanking you. 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 report highlights dire consequences for health, the economy, biodiversity and the climate. Officials at Nepals only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights. We can classify pollution in many categories such as soil pollution, air pollution, water pollution, and noise . Novel method of analyzing microplastic particle pollution can Green sticker = green light to pollute, Sonam Choekyi Lama. In this level of air quality, everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. Spain. , Change the direct speech to indirect speech; She said, "I am going to London today". Our environment determines our health and civilization. But air pollution issues are continue to increase. A paper published in the December 2000 volume of the International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences on pollution in the Narayani placed the blame squarely on the Gorkha Brewery (and a paper mill that has since closed down) for much of the pollution in Nepal's third-largest river. Ever since the lockdown started in Nepal, there has been a . 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). Or, download a free sample copy of a past issue of Resurgence & Ecologist. Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters. With New Delhi and parts of northern India suffering under hazardous pollution levels, Nepal needs to take heed and prepare accordingly, environmental activists say. 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 . The traffic on the most part seemed to move along without any fuss. The CPV power plant operates in Woodbridge N.J. on Feb. 27, 2023. Thepolluter pays' principlewas introduced in1972 in order to address this issue. 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. I would be very thankful to you if you publish my article on your esteemed daily.Hope the government will take immediate action on this matter. By Leah Douglas. The governments standard level is 40 micrograms per cubic metre. The website is owned and published by The Resurgence Trust, an educational charity. Air pollution has been a major problem of 21st century for both developed and developing world. Coca-Cola is named world's worst plastic polluter for a fifth year. 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. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. This indicates, around a quarter of the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. 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. According to the World Air Quality Report, Kathmandu is the seventh most polluted capital city in the world, based on its average yearly PM2.5 level. 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. 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. Air pollution is slashing years off the lives of billions, report finds 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. Also, news from United Nations. Every year, we witness a surge in air pollution during the winter season. D espite public awareness and relentless media coverage, Kathmandu's air quality has worsened in the past two years.