For many influencers across the political spectrum, claims about the environmental effects of the train derailment have gone far beyond known facts. Similarly, Dhangadhi was third in line to have the most degraded air quality among the list of stations measuring the AQI. Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters. 21 October 2021 Climate and Environment. Environmental news, a monthly report on Global - Warm Heart Worldwide In 2017, solar electricity costs dropped from $0.28 to $0.06 per kilowatt-hour for utility-scale photovoltaic solar power. This is a very great decision taken by the government. The size of dust particles are larger compared to biomass burning or vehicular emissions. 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. 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. 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. 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. The high mountains around the Kathmandu valley allows air pollution to accumulate inthe city. This is a very unpleasant decision. This is a grave threat to public health, the government should have declared an emergency and taken urgent measures to curb pollution, says environmental expert Bhushan Tuladhar. 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. One of the cheapest energy sources. 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). 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. At times, it feels like my eyes are burning, said 34-year-old Sunil. Air pollution hits alarming levels in Nepal, schools closed The Threat of Ambient Air Pollution in Kathmandu, Nepal - ResearchGate This can significantly affect the local environment and the health of people living nearby. The US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has also colour coded various AQI levels at Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Purple, and Maroon. 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. 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. Water Pollution Remains Top Environmental Concern in U.S. - Gallup.com Donate to The Ecologist and support high impact environmental journalism and analysis. Adriana Paulo de Sousa Oliveira, Paula Assemany, Lidiane Covell, Maria Lcia Calijuri. climbed to hazardous levels, forcing millions of students to stay home across the country. 1. The government should really take a closer look at what their decision might lead the environment and the whole country to in the future. But public outrage does not seem to translate into action to clean up the air. The birds identified as having the disease, named . The World Health Organisation ('WHO') has reported that PM2.5 levels of particulate matter in urban areas of Nepal . 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. The victims of air pollution urgently require an appropriate action plan . 2022: Emergency mode for the environment. What's in the Air of Nepal? Filling Gaps in Pollution Data 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. Plastic waste is a growing menace, and a wasted opportunity Air pollution is a chronic problem in . In terms of air pollution, the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI)ranked Nepal 177thout of 180 countries. 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 Threat of Ambient Air Pollution in Kathmandu, Nepal - Hindawi D espite public awareness and relentless media coverage, Kathmandu's air quality has worsened in the past two years. We can classify pollution in many categories such as soil pollution, air pollution, water pollution, and noise . In this level of air quality, everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. Thepolluter pays' principlewas introduced in1972 in order to address this issue. Located between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters, the Himalayan nation is seeing the worst pollution levels since 2016. Environmental issues in Nepal - Wikipedia Pollution in Nepal - 724 Words | 123 Help Me Three members of the Paudel family followed suit, but they never gave much thought to the quality of the air they were breathing in. 18/11/2022. We see fog in the morning and haze in the afternoon due to local dust pollution in the winter season.. Even before Covid-19, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had warned that poor, in northern India and the Tarai was already the. The country of 30 million people lies in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the worlds biggest polluters. Publisher: Kunda Dixit, Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu 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. 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). Required fields are marked *. Collective action from many sectors is needed to assure that everyone can breathe clean air.. The government should ban the use of old vehicles. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. 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. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. 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. Environmental Health issues are a not major risk factors for the Global Burden of Diseases. Rather than benefits, morning walks could have serious health impacts, Sunil said. Fri 3 Mar 2023 06.19 EST. 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. Nepal wildfires cause hazardous smog as pollution levels hit record It urges the polluters to pay for the damage done to the natural environment. . Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. 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 views expressed in the articles published on this site may not necessarily reflect those of the trust, its trustees or its staff. But the Narayani's problems go back further. 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 . 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 . 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. 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 . AQI levels in north India and Nepal on 5 January at 8AM showing Kathmandu's much higher pollution levels compared to New Delhi. In addition, residential and commercial-scale solar electricity expenses have dropped from $0.52 to $0.16 and $0.40 to $0.11 per kilowatt-hour, respectively. Environment News, Earth News, Global Warming, Wild Life, Carbon Trading 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. Novel method of analyzing microplastic particle pollution can Nepal's schools close as air pollution hits alarming levels People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. 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. Therefore, this study investigates the presence and abundance of microplastic in lake surface water . and a White House pledge to lend more support were met with skepticism in the community. Phoenix Motorcars wins grant with Houston Metro and EasyMile for 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. The visibility in Kathmandu valley has degraded to a significant level. Nepal is a landlocked nation with the current population of over 27 million people. Air pollution has been a major problem of 21st century for both developed and developing world. 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. The measurement between 201 and 300 is said to be very unhealthy (purple) and states 'health warnings of emergency conditions'. This has a negative impact on sectors that are critical to many economies, including tourism, shipping and fisheries. Advertisement Pollution means decline of the original qualities of the elements of the environment like air, water, land, etc. Environment pollution in Nepal - newspaper article on environmental pollution in nepal On Wednesday, the daily average PM 2.5 level for the western city clocked around 200, which is deemed unhealthy. Motorcycles and passenger vehicles such as jeeps, cars and vansaccountedfor 92 percentof total registered vehicles in Bagmatiby the end of 2014-15. Nepal closes schools as air pollution hits alarming levels - Al Jazeera Get access to nearly 50 years of journalism at the Ecologist Archive. 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. Ever since the lockdown started in Nepal, there has been a . Kathmandus AQI has remained at the Maroon Hazardous level for two days in a row. The values between 151 and 200 are categorised as unhealthy. A visit to East Palestine from the head of the E.P.A. 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. Environment News, Earth News, Global Warming, Wild Life, Carbon Trading With New Delhi and parts of northern India suffering under hazardous pollution levels, Nepal needs to take heed and prepare accordingly, environmental activists say. Non-smokers in Kathmandu are now suffering from diseases that you would expect to see afflicting chain smokers. This is also indicated in maroon. 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. once done will text u on pint nd ins, I saw a fantastic film yesterday. Haze engulfs Kathmandu valley as the air pollution increases to unhealthy levels, on Wednesday, March 24, 2021. In terms of air pollution, the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranked Nepal 177th out of 180 countries. 25th Jan, 2023. International breweries are polluting Nepalese rivers 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. 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 quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available. By Leah Douglas. 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. 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. While the quality of air in some of these places has degraded tremendously, air quality in other places is becoming increasingly unhealthy. Groundbreaking map shows toxic 'forever chemicals' in more than 330 Kathmandu air pollution hits record high | Nepali Times Your email address will not be published. Under the US Clean Water Act, the EPA regulates wastewater discharge from meat and poultry plants into . 12 February 2021. ? The entire population is more likely to be affected. The guidelines recommend new air quality levels to protect the health of populations, by reducing levels of key air pollutants, some of which . Air pollution: Even worse than we thought - WHO - BBC News Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India, two of the world's biggest polluters. Nestled between China and India - two of the world's biggest polluters - Nepal often . Last modified on Fri 3 Mar 2023 20.17 EST. Barun Poudel, a senior meteorologist at the Meteorological Forecasting Division, says that the chances of pollution travelling as far north as Kathmandu from Indian cities are slim, but that Nepali cities bordering India have already seen some impacts. "I don't remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past," Khadka told Reuters. 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]. The COP27 sponsor's products were the most commonly found items by volunteers researching plastic pollution. The Art of Dealing with Breaking Up: Get over those blues and Take Break-Ups Lightly. This year, I have already started feeling different. Subsequent increase in number of vehicles is one of the main culprits of air pollution [ 33, 34 ]. Your email address will not be published. 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. The Threat of Ambient Air Pollution in Kathmandu, Nepal New disease caused by plastics discovered in seabirds The country of 30 . Every year, we witness a surge in air pollution during the winter season. EIAs must be submitted to Nepal's Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE) for approval, whereas IEEs can be approved by other relevant ministries. This company thinks bacteria can help fix fashion's water pollution problem. The report highlights dire consequences for health, the economy, biodiversity and the climate. Globally, air pollution results in around seven million deaths annually. at Phora Darbar. 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. Plastic overconsumption and mismanagement of plastic waste is a growing menace, causing landfills to overflow, choking rivers, and threatening marine ecosystems. This indicates, around a quarter of the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu. 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. 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. (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. When will women lead big political parties? 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 garbage should be properly disposed and managed. 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. Dealing with a problem that is transboundary in nature requires strong regional cooperation, she said. 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. newspaper article on environmental pollution in nepal Posted by July 3, 2022 morenci area schools staff on newspaper article on environmental pollution in nepal 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 . 2426/077-78 Microplastics are man-made pollutants which have been detected in surface water and groundwater. Q : Which country has the highest number of time zones. Furthermore, the life expectancy in the Kathmandu Valley is four years less than that of other Nepalese regions. Air pollution crisis in South Asia causing massive loss of pregnancies 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. ? 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. In Press, Journal Pre-proof, Available online 25 February 2023. 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. On hand was Marcia Bernicat of the US Bureau of Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs. 22 September 2021. Nepali lawmakers tend to shun study and researchwith rare exceptions, Healthy youth presence perks up Lumbini Provincial Assembly. But public health specialists discount their efficacy and stress that the best solution is to reduce air pollution at sources. Implication of Air Pollution on Health Effects in Nepal: Lessons from The government has also decided to sell the natural minerals like sand, rocks, mud etc to India. 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 . However, the record-breaking pollution this winter will add to the risk of the coronavirus. No: 289512/78/079 VAT No: 610271654 Editor Ashok Silwal Email nepalnamcha@gmail.com, Copyright 2023, , All Rights Reserved | Designed with. 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. This index is coloured red. Air pollution frequently causes osteoporosis, heart attacks, dementia and kidney diseases. The high mountains around the Kathmandu valley allows air pollution to accumulate in the city. That said, old diesel vehicles are contributing significantly to the poor air quality in the city. Similarly, the hotel business (khaja ghar) of Ram Karki has also slowed down majorly due to road dust emission. 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. Students participate in activities such as program evaluation and monitoring, public health surveillance, program development, risk assessments and analysis, development of policy briefs . Publisher: Kunda Dixit, Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu Whilstthis shows an improvement over the course of one year, when observing datataken from the capital city . Krishna Kumar, a local business person at Kirtipur explained:Manybusinesseshavegone down due to high amount of road dust. 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. To The Editor The . Independent lab testing finds elevated level of chemical of concern in