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. In 2017, the Department of Environment had drafted an action plan to tackle the deteriorating quality of air in Kathmandu Valley. 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. 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. 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. 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. Basudev Paudel is in his late fifties and at his age, he believes that regular morning walks are important for keeping healthy. The victims of air pollution urgently require an appropriate action plan . Ever since the lockdown started in Nepal, there has been a . 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. 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. The study sounds the alarm that the growing global problem, which scientists are only beginning to understand, requires urgent and immediate action. 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. According to Poudel, the pollution level in the border towns of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar can slightly influence pollution along the border area. 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. 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. Looking at the air quality data over the last few years, it appears that Nepal made amarked improvement from 2018 to 2019, with a PM2.5 reading of 54.15 g/m beingrecorded as an average over 2018 as compared to 44.46 g/m in 2019. In terms of air pollution, the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranked Nepal 177th out of 180 countries. 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]. The government has also decided to sell the natural minerals like sand, rocks, mud etc to India. Air pollution has had a massive impact on Nepalese people. 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. We can classify pollution in many categories such as soil pollution, air pollution, water pollution, and noise . "I don't remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past," Khadka told Reuters. 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. 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 website is owned and published by The Resurgence Trust, an educational charity. News about Air Pollution, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times. On hand was Marcia Bernicat of the US Bureau of Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs. Subsequent increase in number of vehicles is one of the main culprits of air pollution [ 33, 34 ]. 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. I have started wearing a mask whenever Im outdoors.. The strategy guiding the work for The Ecologist for the years 2023 to 2026 has now been published. 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. Sonia Awale May 31, 2019. 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. Q : Only continent in the world without a desert is. A new disease caused solely by plastics has been discovered in seabirds. Air quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available. 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. Factors contributing to this level of pollution are local, said Shankar Prasad Paudel, information officer with the Department of Environment. Espaol. Plastic overconsumption and mismanagement of plastic waste is a growing menace, causing landfills to overflow, choking rivers, and threatening marine ecosystems. In 2013, a team of Cambridge University scientists were in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley, developing a device to measure . For many influencers across the political spectrum, claims about the environmental effects of the train derailment have gone far beyond known facts. The analysis, based on more than 100 recent peer-reviewed studies, detected over 120 unique PFAS compounds in these animals . Research on microplastic concentration in aquatic environment is attracting scientists from developing countries, but in Nepal no information regarding microplastic in freshwater system is available. ? Why this advert is dangerous to people and nature and shows advertising needs new controls. 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. This year, I have already started feeling different. There are cloth masks and surgical ones, some are disposable but many use replaceable filters. 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. These are the key points that needs to be followed in order to bring a positive change in the environment. But so far, the government has done almost nothing to control air pollution.. Globally, air pollution results in around sevenmillion deaths annually. However, the record-breaking pollution this winter will add to the risk of the coronavirus. 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. And residents of the capital who smoke get a double whammy. The Department of Environments own measuring station in parts of Kathmandu showed the AQI staying above 400 all day on Monday. Similarly, the hotel business (khaja ghar) of Ram Karki has also slowed down majorly due to road dust emission. Write a newspaper article on environmental pollution in Nepal to be published in a newspaper. The birds identified as having the disease, named . 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. Download the latest essay from our Megamorphosis series now. 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. Publisher: Kunda Dixit, Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu Globally, air pollution results in around seven million deaths annually. News from Indian environment including wildlife like tiger, lion, elephants. That compares with the governments standard level of 40 micrograms per cubic metre. Introduction. 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. , , , , . Officials at Nepals only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights. There has also been a 25% increase in the number of vehicles on the roads. A road-widening spree, earthquake destruction and delays in fixing streets . Three members of the Paudel family followed suit, but they never gave much thought to the quality of the air they were breathing in. The funds are the first . Fri 3 Mar 2023 06.19 EST. Haze engulfs Kathmandu valley as the air pollution increases to unhealthy levels, on Wednesday, March 24, 2021. This is a very great decision taken by the government. Reuters. The high mountains around the Kathmandu valley allows air pollution to accumulate in the city. Nepal's Environment Protection Rules 2020 (2077) lists projects that need IEEs under Schedule 2, and those that need EIAs under Schedule 3. 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. 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 . However, two years later, the action plan has neither been finalised nor enforced. Nifty-129.. NSE Gainer-Large Cap . However, the vast portion of pollution is generated locally. The Art of Dealing with Breaking Up: Get over those blues and Take Break-Ups Lightly. 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. Air quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available. says that 100% of the population in India lives in areas where PM2.5 levels are higher than the WHO Air Quality Guideline. 22 September 2021. Besides the quantity of fuel consumption, the poor road condition of older vehicles is triggering air quality problems in the valley. This can significantly affect the local environment and the health of people living nearby. 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. As we see the readings from air quality metres located in various stations of the country, we find that Simara has the poorest air quality. 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. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. Yet, 2022 could prove to be a seminal year for the environment, with . Quantifying the socio-economic impact of air pollution on a country will be vital in raising awareness among the public as well as policy makers and leaders, but as we have seen in Nepal it does not immediately lead to policy change. There are dozens of varieties of masks available in the market, along with air purifiers that cost more than Rs130,000. 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. 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 Nepal, COPD is the second major cause of death after Ischemic Heart Diseases. Most make various performance claims based on lab tests but factors like the masks fit play important roles. Fewer, though still substantial minorities ranging between 40% and 45% . 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. Nestled between China and India - two of the world's biggest polluters - Nepal often . Local pollution in Nepali border towns with high vehicular emissions and industrial pollution could increase due to pollution coming from across the border, he said. put Kathmandus pollution level at 487 the highest among cities in the region. 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. The governments standard level is 40 micrograms per cubic metre. In Chabahil, Sunil remains concerned for his fathers health, who continues to take his walk despite the morning haze. The agency, along with local and . Thereportsays that 100% of the population in India lives in areas where PM2.5 levels are higher than the WHO Air Quality Guideline. Hundreds of thousands are sheltering in tents, breathing air thick with pollutants unleashed from tombs of rubble, fearful that a new disaster could strike at any moment. Nepal is not far behind with 98% of its people living in such areas. Last modified on Fri 3 Mar 2023 20.17 EST. This is also indicated in maroon. "We found that the pollution exposure was really, really high, suggesting potential for substantial health impacts of air pollution in this region," says Gurung, who is now a doctoral candidate at F&ES. editors@nepalitimes.com | www.nepalitimes.com | www.himalmedia.com | Tel: 01-5005602 New Delhi has seen a sudden spike whereas Kathmandu witnesses a gradual increase in pollution level starting from November and reaching peak levels in January.. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. One of those rivers is the Melamchi, about 25 . Globally, air pollution results in around seven million deaths annually. Officials at Nepal's only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights. 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 air in Kathmandu, already dubbed one of the most polluted cities in the world, gets worse once the winter sets in. But this winter, the haze barely let us see through it. Prices range from Rs10 to Rs10,500. News from Indian environment including wildlife like tiger, lion, elephants. It remained at above 500 from 10PM till 5AM, falling to 480 at 7AM on Tuesday. The COP27 sponsor's products were the most commonly found items by volunteers researching plastic pollution. 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 frequently causes osteoporosis, heart attacks, dementia and kidney diseases. 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. New road 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. 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. 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]. 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. This indicates, around a quarterof the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. Only a year ago, snow clad mountains shone brightly in the winter and we could see the mountains and hills clearly. In Nepal, 35,000 people die annually due to illnesses caused by polluted air. ? Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking. 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 is a call to mobilize, say the authors who . 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. There is a proportionately very high consumption of gasoline and diesel in the valley. editors@nepalitimes.com | www.nepalitimes.com | www.himalmedia.com | Tel: 01-5005602 hit their highest in the capital since the government began keeping records in 2016, government official Shankar Paudel told Reuters. It is now causing heart attacks, kidney diseases, osteoporosis and dementia. (left). Indeed, a long-term solution requires policy level intervention and coordination between all branches of government. Rapid and haphazard urbanisation in the last few decades has resulted in the degradation of the environment, predominantly in terms of air pollution. Sign up for our WEEKLY newsletters - and never miss out on the amazing news and comment articles we publish. 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. In Press, Journal Pre-proof, Available online 25 February 2023. The environment has been in a better condition. 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. This index is coloured red. The moves reflect residents deep-seated mistrust of government screenings of toxic chemicals and fears of long-term effects from the train derailment. Q : Which country has the highest number of time zones. 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. There is a proportionately very high consumption of gasoline and diesel inthe valley. Bhushan Tuladhar, an environmentalist who closely watches levels of air pollution in the country, agrees that there is a minimal chance of pollution from Delhi and northern India reaching Kathmandu, although cities in the Tarai are already dealing with poor air quality coming from across the border. Kakhara Madhyam Pvt. 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. 1. Your email address will not be published. Copper multifaceted interferences during swine wastewater treatment in high rate algal ponds: Alterations on nutrient removal, biomass composition and resource recovery. 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. These two are just representative examples of millions of people who are directly or indirectly affected by dust,a burning issue ofthe twenty firstcentury. This has a negative impact on sectors that are critical to many economies, including tourism, shipping and fisheries. It remained at above 500 from 10PM till 5AM, falling to 480 at 7AM on Tuesday. 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. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Of six environmental problems facing the U.S., Americans remain most worried about those that affect water quality. 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. Kathmandu Valley has seen a rapid increase in vehicle numbers in the last 15 years. Officials at Nepals only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights. Kathmandus AQI has remained at the Maroon Hazardous level for two days in a row. In addition, vehicles passing over broken or traveled roadrelease huge amounts of dust particles into the air, worsening air pollution further. "Trans-boundary pollution can affect our air quality too as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, connected to Nepal, are also polluted. Atmospheric greenhouse gases reach record high, latest essay from our Megamorphosis series now. of tens of millions of people by 3.7 years. 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). 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. We are mainly responsible for the destructive changes in the environment. Also, news from United Nations. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said.
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