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. Prices range from Rs10 to Rs10,500. 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. 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 . FEATURED FUNDS. 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. 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. With neighbouring India and China committed to manufacturing only electric automobiles by 2030, Nepal will be forced to go electric. I have started wearing a mask whenever Im outdoors.. Only a year ago, snow clad mountains shone brightly in the winter and we could see the mountains and hills clearly. Write an article to be published in a local newspaper in about 100 Pollution in Nepal - 724 Words | 123 Help Me 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. , , , , . As people fear another wave of Covid-19 a year after the government first imposed restrictions in the country, another health concern related to respiratory illnesses caused by toxins in the environment has come to the fore. "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. New road Kathmandu. Thenumberofvehiclesin the valley during the last two decades has increasedninefold,and reached 922,900 in total during 2015, according to the Department of Transport Management inNepal. Strong laws related to environment should be made and implemented. Minnesota moves to crack down on catalytic converter thefts | AP News 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. According to Poudel, the pollution level in the border towns of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar can slightly influence pollution along the border area. The values between 151 and 200 are categorised as unhealthy. 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. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh recently concluded that surgical masks blocked 80% of particles sized 0.007 microns. Collective action from many sectors is needed to assure that everyone can breathe clean air.. In terms of air pollution, the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI)ranked Nepal 177thout of 180 countries. A new disease caused solely by plastics has been discovered in seabirds. The high mountains around the Kathmandu valley allows air pollution to accumulate inthe city. From his home in Kathmandus Chabahil, Basudevs walks take him around Pashupatinath Temple and the Guheshwori area. WASHINGTON - Today the Environmental Working Group published an analysis of peer-reviewed data that for the first time shows the global scope of contamination by the "forever chemicals" known as PFAS, which may be harming over 330 wildlife species around the world.. 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. PDF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN NEPAL.doc - t-kougei.ac.jp 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. 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. Water Pollution Remains Top Environmental Concern in U.S. - Gallup.com says that 100% of the population in India lives in areas where PM2.5 levels are higher than the WHO Air Quality Guideline. The governments standard level is 40 micrograms per cubic metre. The report highlights dire consequences for health, the economy, biodiversity and the climate. All living being birds, animals, insects, plants and even human beings are victims of pollution. The leaves of plants are covered in dust particles which limits the photosynthesis rate and affects the plants growth and natural beauty. Kathmandu valley requires half of the total gasoline consumed in Nepal. Spain. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. 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 Ironically, World No Tobacco Day falls on 31 May, just four days ahead of Environment Day. . 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. 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 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 US Environmental Protection Agency gave the all clear for residents to return home shortly after the February 3 derailment and controlled burn that followed. International breweries are polluting Nepalese rivers Download the latest essay from our Megamorphosis series now. The victims of air pollution urgently require an appropriate action plan for mitigating these problems. Subsequent increase in number of vehicles is one of the main culprits of air pollution [ 33, 34 ]. Therefore, this study investigates the presence and abundance of microplastic in lake surface water . Top economies responsible for 2 million air pollution deaths worldwide The latest edition of Resurgence & Ecologist is out now, and available to buy. 22 September 2021. The leaves of plants are covered indust particles which limits the photosynthesis rate and affects the plants growth and natural beauty. Photo: Skanda Gautam/THT, A screenshot showing Air Quality Index (AQI) for various cities as measured at 8 am on Thursday, March 25, 2021. Majorities express "a great deal" of worry about the pollution of both drinking water (56%) and rivers, lakes and reservoirs (53%). 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. Many scientists and environmental specialists all over the world have studied the harmful effect of plastic in detail and all of them are of the same view regarding the degree of harm they represent. . We human beings have been using the natural resources profusely. 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. 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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. 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. We see fog in the morning and haze in the afternoon due to local dust pollution in the winter season.. 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. Implication of Air Pollution on Health Effects in Nepal: Lessons from Nepali lawmakers tend to shun study and researchwith rare exceptions, Healthy youth presence perks up Lumbini Provincial Assembly. The EPI recently found Nepal to have the worst air pollution in the world. Required fields are marked *. 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). It is a call to mobilize, say the authors who . But there is a difference between the nature of air pollution in New Delhi and Kathmandu, said Tuladhar. This has a negative impact on sectors that are critical to many economies, including tourism, shipping and fisheries. Submissions 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. Rapid and haphazard urbanisation in the last few decades has resulted in the degradation of the environment, predominantly in terms of air pollution. The study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, found that in polluted urban areas, reducing air pollution could do as much as completely eliminating smoking would to lower rates of the 12 types of cancer most commonly associated with smoking, including lung cancer, stomach cancer, kidney cancer . Plastic pollution: Effects on environment - The Himalayan Times All of these vehicles degrade the air quality byemitting huge quantitiesof smoke into the ambient environment. 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. Air quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available. I dont remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past, Khadka told Reuters. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. 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. Due to the industrial revolution from the late 20th century the environment has been polluted to such an extent that now it has become a global issue. Air pollution crisis in South Asia causing massive loss of pregnancies Green sticker = green light to pollute, Sonam Choekyi Lama. 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. 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. 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. Fewer, though still substantial minorities ranging between 40% and 45% . Three members of the Paudel family followed suit, but they never gave much thought to the quality of the air they were breathing in. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. UNICEF, on Wednesday, issued a statement calling for urgent action to address this air quality crisis in South Asia. 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. The victims of air pollution urgently require an appropriate action plan . Water In Crisis - Spotlight Nepal - The Water Project Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained:Manybusinesseshavegone down due to high amount of road dust. 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 . Air pollution is a chronic problem in . The measurement between 201 and 300 is said to be very unhealthy (purple) and states 'health warnings of emergency conditions'. Air pollution is a familiar environmental health hazard. 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. 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. The funds are the first . By Leah Douglas. It has a negative impact on various environmental aspects which directly or indirectly affect the quality of human health. 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. Under the US Clean Water Act, the EPA regulates wastewater discharge from meat and poultry plants into . Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. 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]. 'We need to transform our commitment into action that will have an impact on the gases that drive climate change.'. There are dozens of types of masks available in Kathmandu. Our environment determines our health and civilization. Kathmandus AQI has remained at the Maroon Hazardous level for two days in a row. The study sounds the alarm that the growing global problem, which scientists are only beginning to understand, requires urgent and immediate action. The country of 30 million people lies in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters. No: 289512/78/079 VAT No: 610271654 Editor Ashok Silwal Email nepalnamcha@gmail.com, Copyright 2023, , All Rights Reserved | Designed with. This year, I have already started feeling different. Despite public awareness and relentless media coverage, Kathmandus air quality has worsened in the past two years. This may collapse the whole ecosystem in general. 'A waste of time and money': Why are EIAs so ineffective in Nepal? We can classify pollution in many categories such as soil pollution, air pollution, water pollution, and noise . Publisher: Kunda Dixit, Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu And residents of the capital who smoke get a double whammy. We all have been well aware about the problem of environmental pollution which has been very petrifying to the living beings. Taking action to tackle the pollution in Nepal Environmental pollution is one of the greatest threats of the world today. Whilstthis shows an improvement over the course of one year, when observing datataken from the capital city . Students participate in activities such as program evaluation and monitoring, public health surveillance, program development, risk assessments and analysis, development of policy briefs . ? Q : Emu bird is found in the country. For example, an EIA for a major highway would need . The Department of Environments own measuring station in parts of Kathmandu showed the AQI staying above 400 all day on Monday. Independent lab testing finds elevated level of chemical of concern in Besides the quantity of fuel consumption, the poor road condition of older vehicles is triggering air quality problems in the valley. 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. Ltd. Mhepi-16, Kathmandu, Nepal Company Reg. Every year, we witness a surge in air pollution during the winter season. Such particles will not reach Kathmandu because it is surrounded by hills. 2022: Emergency mode for the environment - UNEP