Kathmandu, Jan 6: Along with extreme cold, the air pollution in Kathmandu Valley has also increased. According to the Air Quality Index (AQI), today the air pollution level in Kathmandu Valley is 250 AQI.
According to environmentalist Bhushan Tuladhar, air pollution is more likely to increase during winter than in summer. “During the cold season, as the cold air stays close to the surface of the ground for a long time, the possibility of pollution is high, and as the temperature rises in the afternoon, the pollution spreads in the air,” he said.
Apart from that, he said that the practice of burning garbage, tires and firewood during the cold season also helps to increase the pollution.
Based on AQI, Kathmandu Valley ranks as the fifth most polluted city in the world today. Pakistan’s Lahore tops the list. AQI of Lahore is 341. In addition, the AQI of India’s Kolkata is ranked in the second place with an AQI of 248, and the AQI of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia is 238.
Also, the fourth most polluted city in India, New Delhi, has an AQI of 227 AQI. According to disaster management expert Dr. Dharmaraj Upreti, an AQI of zero to 50 is considered good and given a green signal. Also, an AQI of 51 to 100 indicates caution. An AQI of 101 to 150 is considered to cause breathing problems and is dangerous for heart patients. According to him, an AQI of 151 to 200 is considered unhealthy and air pollution above that is considered extremely unhealthy.
The Air Quality Management Action Plan-2076 BS for the Kathmandu Valley has also stated that a situation where the AQI value is more than 300 as determined by the Government of Nepal will be treated as a disaster.
In order to prevent the disaster, the Action Plan calls for stopping the burning of waste, increasing the use of broomer and vacuum to clean the roads, and for issuing public notice urging children, senior citizens and patients to take special precautions.
The government’s strategy is to formulate and implement national standards related to water, air, soil, sound, electromagnetic waves, radioactive radiation and hazardous chemical pollution to reduce pollution in accordance with the National Environment Policy-2076 BS.
According to the strategy, air, water and sound quality mapping will be done by establishing and operating quality measurement centers in major cities, industrial establishments and other pollution-prone areas. #air #pollution #nepal #kathmandu
