Uncontrolled use of petroleum and minerals is responsible for increasing air pollution worldwide. Pollution is uncontrolled due to use of fossil fuels in industrial factories, vehicular traffic, fires and dust. All these reasons exist in Nepal.
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Every year, during the dry season, the entire South Asia and especially Kathmandu suffers from air pollution. Kathmandu has become the most polluted city in the world. In Kathmandu, if there is a current problem of burning eyes, tears, and sore throat, the long-term health risks that this pollution can cause to human health are separate.
It is difficult to see clearly the scenery around one kilometer because of how thick the snow is in Kathmandu Valley. The situation is expected to remain the same for a few more days. Human efforts to reduce such pollution may not be successful immediately, but long-term partnership is definitely expected.
Kathmandu's natural structure also increases the impact of pollution. In a bowl-shaped valley, polluted air cannot escape easily. Rainy or windy conditions can only improve. According to the data available on IQAir, a Swiss website that records the world's air quality, the air quality of Kathmandu has fallen to an extremely unhealthy level in the last four days.
Kathmandu's air quality was 211 AQI (Air Quality Index) on Sunday. Similarly, Monday 232, Tuesday 223 and Wednesday reached 247 AQI. According to the air quality index approved by the government of Nepal, the condition of 0-50 is considered good. Similarly, 51-100 is moderate, 101-150 is unhealthy for sensitive human groups, 151-200 is unhealthy, 201-300 is very unhealthy and above 301 is dangerous. For the last four days, Kathmandu's air quality seems to be at a very unhealthy level for all categories.
Air pollution is directly linked to human health. According to the World Health Organization, 7 million people die every year in the world due to health problems caused by air pollution. Every year in Nepal, about 42,000 people die from diseases caused by air pollution. Likewise, pollution is a major cause of the increase in dangerous non-communicable diseases. Pollution has immediate and long-term effects. Air pollution in general can cause eye allergies to irritation.
Over time, problems from the lungs to the heart may appear. Therefore, to reduce the impact on human health, it is necessary for individuals, families and society to take precautions. Children, elderly, heart and respiratory patients and pregnant women are more affected by pollution and need special care. Similarly, patients with heart, asthma, lung and high blood pressure should also be protected. However, since the air quality of Kathmandu has reached a very unhealthy level, it is necessary to adopt safety measures.
The uncontrolled use of petroleum and mineral substances is responsible for increasing air pollution worldwide. Pollution is uncontrolled due to use of fossil fuels in industrial factories, vehicular traffic, fires and dust. All these reasons exist in Nepal. Around 1.4 lakh vehicles ply in Kathmandu even now. Most of them use petrol and diesel as fuel.
The fumes emitted by so many vehicles are one of the main causes of air pollution. The roads here are not regularly maintained. Construction work is also often stalled. This leads to excessive fuel consumption and increased dust. Fire is a nationwide problem. Even now, wildfires in various parts of the country are wreaking havoc and air pollution is reaching dangerous levels.
Countries like Nepal, which are waiting for development, should encourage electric vehicles. First, it will help control pollution in cities like Kathmandu. Secondly, when hydropower production is increasing, the use of electricity will also be appropriate for its consumption.
Thirdly, a large amount of money is going out of Nepal in the purchase of petroleum products. In the financial year 2080/81, only 18.87 percent of the amount was spent on petroleum products when goods worth 15 trillion 92 billion 98 crore rupees were imported. In this way, an amount equivalent to three billion is spent annually for the import of petroleum products, so it is necessary to prioritize its alternatives.
