These are the key points that needs to be followed in order to bring a positive change in the environment. 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. Department of Information Registration No. systema 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. It remained at above 500 from 10PM till 5AM, falling to 480 at 7AM on Tuesday. Fri 3 Mar 2023 06.19 EST. purely b. wisely c. competentlyd. 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 views expressed in the articles published on this site may not necessarily reflect those of the trust, its trustees or its staff. Q : Which country has the highest number of time zones. The smoke generated from the wildfires worsened the pollution, according to an officer at the Division. Between 301 and 400 (maroon), the air quality is at a hazardous level; it has more severe health implications. Nepal is a landlocked nation with the current population of over 27 million people. The victims of air pollution urgently require an appropriate action plan for mitigating these problems. Officials for the railroad company pulled out hours earlier, infuriating some residents who said they wanted answers from the company. Submissions World news on global warming, climate change, wildlife, pollution, carbon business and climate politics. 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. 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. 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 . 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. The polluter pays' principle was introduced in 1972 in order to address this issue. Your email address will not be published. Air pollution is slashing years from billions of people's lives around the world and is a greater threat to life expectancy than smoking, HIV/AIDS or war, a report published Wednesday shows.. Also, news from United Nations. (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. put Kathmandus pollution level at 487 the highest among cities in the region. 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. New Delhis AQI levels, which have been consistently high all winter because of crop residue burning as well as vehicular and industrial pollution, got a respite on Monday because of rainfall. The size of dust particles are larger compared to biomass burning or vehicular emissions. Air pollution on the Nepali side is mostly locally generated.. Efforts for improving air quality should be of utmost priority now so that safety of citizens' health can be ensured. 25th Jan, 2023. Phil Murphy but which has yet to take full effect should prevent the . 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. But public outrage does not seem to translate into action to clean up the air. 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. We are mainly responsible for the destructive changes in the environment. 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. According to Tuladhar, New Delhi was able to immediately swing into action because it had an action plan to deal with the crisis. 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. 21 October 2021 Climate and Environment. 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. 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. Air quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available. Macrotech Developers Ltd. 997.35 152.6. Also, news . Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained: Many businesses have gone down due to high amount of road dust. Required fields are marked *. Why this advert is dangerous to people and nature and shows advertising needs new controls. While the quality of air in some of these places has degraded tremendously, air quality in other places is becoming increasingly unhealthy. Site By: Hiti Design, The first step in reducing air pollution is to let, Nepali scientist returns to pinpoint hazards of dirty air, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IudF3qNM-xE&feature=youtu.benobha Gurung could have had a distinguished international career in, Sonia Awale s winter sets in and air quality deteriorates,. That said, old diesel vehicles are contributing significantly to the poor air quality in the city. 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. The average exposure for the officers was 51.2 g/m 3, with an hourly maximum of more than 500 g/m 3. And residents of the capital who smoke get a double whammy. 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. 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. Iturges the polluters to pay for thedamage done to the natural environment. 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. 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 . Nepal is not far behind with 98% of its people living in such areas. This indicates, around a quarterof the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. It remained at above 500 from 10PM till 5AM, falling to 480 at 7AM on Tuesday. 2426/077-78 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. 30 Mar 2021. Subsequent increase in number of vehicles is one of the main culprits of air pollution [ 33, 34 ]. 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. Plastic pollution in oceans and other bodies of water continues to grow sharply and could more than double by 2030, according to an assessment released on Thursday by the UN Environment Programme ( UNEP ). For many influencers across the political spectrum, claims about the environmental effects of the train derailment have gone far beyond known facts. Officials at Nepal's only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights. The air in Kathmandu, already dubbed one of the most polluted cities in the world, gets worse once the winter sets in. The values between 151 and 200 are categorised as unhealthy. Even before Covid-19, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had warned that poor, in northern India and the Tarai was already the. 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. No: 289512/78/079 VAT No: 610271654 Editor Ashok Silwal Email nepalnamcha@gmail.com, Copyright 2023, , All Rights Reserved | Designed with. Dealing with a problem that is transboundary in nature requires strong regional cooperation, she said. Rather than benefits, morning walks could have serious health impacts, Sunil said. The victims of air pollution urgently require an appropriate action plan . By Sophie Wodzak,Emily Cochrane and Lisa Friedman. The effect of dust is not limited to human beings, but is also felt by plants, particularly to those closer to the road. Despite public awareness and relentless media coverage, Kathmandus air quality has worsened in the past two years. The US government held a meeting in Kathmandu this month of its embassy staff specialising in air pollution based in 30 Asian 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]. . Nearly two weeks after a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, confusing messages from government officials have frayed locals trust. Benchmarks . 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. The size of dust particles are larger compared to biomass burning or vehicular emissions. The country of 30 million people lies in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters. Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the world's biggest polluters. Factors contributing to this level of pollution are local," said Shankar Prasad Paudel, information officer with the Department of Environment. With New Delhi and parts of northern India suffering under hazardous pollution levels, Nepal needs to take heed and prepare accordingly, environmental activists say. 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. There are cloth masks and surgical ones, some are disposable but many use replaceable filters. Sonia Awale May 31, 2019. The major effect of air pollution can be mainly observed in the cities such as Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Nepalgunj, and Lumbini. The 24-hour average level of PM2.5, fine particulate matter that can reach deep . On Wednesday, the daily average PM 2.5 level for the western city clocked around 200, which is deemed unhealthy. 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. 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. 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. Every year, 35,000 people in Nepal die from illnesses related to air contaminants. The guidelines recommend new air quality levels to protect the health of populations, by reducing levels of key air pollutants, some of which . The leaves of plants are covered indust particles which limits the photosynthesis rate and affects the plants growth and natural beauty. The World Health Organisation ('WHO') has reported that PM2.5 levels of particulate matter in urban areas of Nepal . Kakhara Madhyam Pvt. 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. "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. The garbage should be properly disposed and managed. Similarly, the hotel business (khaja ghar) of Ram Karki has also slowed down majorly due to road dust emission. All of these vehicles degrade the air quality by emitting huge quantities of smoke into the ambient environment. 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. 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. Collective action from many sectors is needed to assure that everyone can breathe clean air.. 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. 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. 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. In 2000 / 2001 there were 24,003 vehicles registered in Kathmandu and this has increased dramatically to 79,822 in 2015 / 2016. 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. Factors contributing to this level of pollution are local, said Shankar Prasad Paudel, information officer with the Department of Environment. But public health specialists discount their efficacy and stress that the best solution is to reduce air pollution at sources. The CPV power plant operates in Woodbridge N.J. on Feb. 27, 2023. 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. 22 September 2021. 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. Environmental pollution is one of the greatest threats of the world today. Air pollution frequently causes osteoporosis, heart attacks, dementia and kidney diseases. UNICEF, on Wednesday, issued a statement calling for urgent action to address this air quality crisis in South Asia. We see fog in the morning and haze in the afternoon due to local dust pollution in the winter season.. 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. Nestled between China and India - two of the world's biggest polluters - Nepal often . Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters. (left). 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. 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. Department of Information Registration No. EIAs must be submitted to Nepal's Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE) for approval, whereas IEEs can be approved by other relevant ministries. "And it wasn't just the . Legal provisions should be made in order for people to manage solid wastes properly. "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. 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. In addition, vehicles passing over broken or traveled road release huge amounts of dust particles into the air, worsening air pollution further. of tens of millions of people by 3.7 years. 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. Q Because indoor air pollution levels are also high, ideally you would have to wear a mask 24 hours a day, says Pangeni. 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. This may collapse the whole ecosystem in general. The government should really take a closer look at what their decision might lead the environment and the whole country to in the future. Air pollution is even more dangerous than previously thought, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned . 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. 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. In this level of air quality, everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. 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. 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. Besides the quantity of fuel consumption, the poor road conditionof older vehicles istriggeringair quality problems in the valley. ? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The theme for World Environment Day (5 June) is #BeatAirPollution. Ltd. Mhepi-16, Kathmandu, Nepal Company Reg. The government has also decided to sell the natural minerals like sand, rocks, mud etc to India. Air pollution has been a major problem of 21st century for both developed and developing world. In 2017, the Department of Environment had drafted an action plan to tackle the deteriorating quality of air in Kathmandu Valley. Last modified on Fri 3 Mar 2023 20.17 EST. Nifty-129.. NSE Gainer-Large Cap . The government should ban the use of old vehicles. "Every year, we witness a surge in air pollution during the winter season. 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. At times, it feels like my eyes are burning, said 34-year-old Sunil. Spain. The agency, along with local and . The strategy guiding the work for The Ecologist for the years 2023 to 2026 has now been published. Prices range from Rs10 to Rs10,500. For example, an EIA for a major highway would need . New Delhis AQI levels, which have been consistently high all winter because of crop residue burning as well as vehicular and industrial pollution, got a respite on Monday because of rainfall. Other global AQI measurement sites likeIQAirput Kathmandus pollution level at 487 the highest among cities in the region. The Biden Administration will make $250 million in grants available to develop strategies to cut climate pollution, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. Reuters. Nepali lawmakers tend to shun study and researchwith rare exceptions, Healthy youth presence perks up Lumbini Provincial Assembly. 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. This index is coloured red. Coca-Cola is named world's worst plastic polluter for a fifth year. Plastic overconsumption and mismanagement of plastic waste is a growing menace, causing landfills to overflow, choking rivers, and threatening marine ecosystems. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, has a population of around3.5 million. Green sticker = green light to pollute, Sonam Choekyi Lama. Every year, we witness a surge in air pollution during the winter season. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports fine particulate matter of up to 140 g m-3 - which is around ten times higher than the WHO limit. However, the record-breaking pollution this winter will add to the risk of the coronavirus. 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. The moves reflect residents deep-seated mistrust of government screenings of toxic chemicals and fears of long-term effects from the train derailment. 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. The recent Environmental Performance Index 2016 has suggested increase in overall PM 2.5 in Nepal over the last decade. In 2017, solar electricity costs dropped from $0.28 to $0.06 per kilowatt-hour for utility-scale photovoltaic solar power. But the Narayani's problems go back further. A road-widening spree, earthquake destruction and delays in fixing streets . This is a very great decision taken by the government. Rapid and haphazard urbanisation in the last few decades has resulted in the degradation of the environment, predominantly in terms of air pollution. newspaper article on environmental pollution in nepal Posted by July 3, 2022 morenci area schools staff on newspaper article on environmental pollution in nepal 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. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. It urges the polluters to pay for the damage done to the natural environment. 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. Officials at Nepals only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights. Ironically, World No Tobacco Day falls on 31 May, just four days ahead of Environment Day. The World Health Organization (WHO) reportsfine particulate matter of up to 140 g m-3 - which is aroundtentimes higher than the WHO limit. There are dozens of types of masks available in Kathmandu. 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). Electrified public transport would have been a good place to start, but 6 months after Prime Minister KP Oli launched an electric mobility action plan to turn at least 20% of public vehicles into battery-operated ones by 2020, progress has been slow. But public outrage does not seem to translate into action to clean up the air. 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. This year, I have already started feeling different. World news on global warming, climate change, wildlife, pollution, carbon business and climate politics. Yet, 2022 could prove to be a seminal year for the environment, with . Use of pesticides and fertilizers must be controlled. The World Air Quality Project's index stood at 515 at that time while that of the Department of Environment (DoE) stood at 490. Thepolluter pays' principlewas introduced in1972 in order to address this issue. Copper multifaceted interferences during swine wastewater treatment in high rate algal ponds: Alterations on nutrient removal, biomass composition and resource recovery. 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. Our environment determines our health and civilization. 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. News from Indian environment including wildlife like tiger, lion, elephants. Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights. Students participate in activities such as program evaluation and monitoring, public health surveillance, program development, risk assessments and analysis, development of policy briefs . Kathmandu Valley has seen a rapid increase in vehicle numbers in the last 15 years. At a time when Kathmandus, AQI was hitting record highs on Tuesday morning, with 438, the New Delhi suburb of Noida recorded less than 151 (. AQI is a composite measurement of the concentration . This means Kathmandus pollution has been 15 times higher than the WHO standard. The visibility in Kathmandu valley has degraded to a significant level. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh recently concluded that surgical masks blocked 80% of particles sized 0.007 microns. 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. While asked about the poorest air quality index of the capital city, Shankar Prasad Poudel, information officer for the Department of Environment, said that three major factors have affected the air quality of the Valley. The average global citizen loses 2.2 years of life with today's levels of air pollution and, if nothing changes, that adds up to . Getting prepared now will make that transition smoother. The US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has also colour coded various AQI levels at Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Purple, and Maroon. In countries such as China, India and Nepal, air quality may have slightly improved in recent years, but the health risks due to PM2.5 haven't changed much, he said. Introduction. We all have been well aware about the problem of environmental pollution which has been very petrifying to the living beings. The high mountains around the Kathmandu valley allows air pollution to accumulate in the city. The same report ranked Nepal the eighth most polluted country in the world. Your email address will not be published. It is a major threat to global health and prosperity. Air quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available. This has a negative impact on sectors that are critical to many economies, including tourism, shipping and fisheries. Their effectiveness also varies depending on the work place, environment and fitting. 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. The study sounds the alarm that the growing global problem, which scientists are only beginning to understand, requires urgent and immediate action. More than 65% of all deaths due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) in 2019 were linked to air pollution in Nepal. 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. Indeed, a long-term solution requires policy level intervention and coordination between all branches of government. 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.