Air pollution rises in Kathmandu Valley due to lack of adequate rainfall

Kathmandu, March 9: The sky over the Kathmandu Valley is cloudy, and air pollution has increased due to insufficient rainfall.

Meteorologist Binu Maharjan told RSS that the rainfall has been limited due to the influence of local winds and the western low-pressure system.

“There has been snowfall and light rain in some parts of the country, but sufficient rainfall has not occurred to clear the air pollution. The weather is likely to remain the same for the next three days,” she said.

Kathmandu Ranked as the Fifth Most Polluted City

As of the latest report, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of the Kathmandu Valley was 163, making it the fifth most polluted city in the world.

According to the AQI chart, Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, was the most polluted city with an AQI of 210, followed by Beijing, China, in second place with 184 AQI, Dhaka, Bangladesh, in third with 175 AQI, and New Delhi, India, in fourth with 170 AQI.

Amidst this, the Department of Environment has warned of an increased risk of air pollution until the month of Jeth (May-June). Major sources of pollution include smoke from industries, factories, motorcycles, construction sites, households, waste burning in the open, and dust from construction activities.

Children, the elderly, individuals with respiratory conditions like asthma, heart disease patients, and pregnant women are more vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution.

Disaster Management Expert Dr. Dharmaraj Upreti explained that an AQI of 0-50 is considered good for human health (green signal). An AQI of 51-100, marked by yellow, suggests caution, urging people to stay alert.

An AQI of 101-150, indicated by orange, is unhealthy for sensitive groups and may affect individuals with respiratory and heart issues. An AQI of 151-200, marked by red, is unhealthy, while an AQI between 201 and 300 is considered very unhealthy and hazardous. When the AQI exceeds 300, it is considered an emergency situation, and everyone is likely to be affected.

The Air Quality Management Action Plan-2076 BS for the Kathmandu Valley states that when the AQI exceeds 300, it will be treated as a disaster.