Kathmandu Valley has already witnessed an unhealthy level of air pollution. Due to the growing pollution in Kathmandu’s air, many people are facing long-term health problems during this winter. Currently, dense fog is blanketing the valley and Terai districts, causing more cold especially in the morning and evening.
Winter usually remains polluted in Kathmandu as the dipping temperature traps pollution closer to the ground level when there is no sufficient rainfall to wash away the chemicals. Winter precipitation is key to maintaining clean air together with keeping moisture on the ground. But there is no immediate possibility of rainfall, according to the Meteorological Forecasting Division of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM).
Due to the lack of rainfall in the valley, the level of pollution is likely to increase further during this winter season, said Binu Maharjan, a senior meteorologist at the Meteorological Forecasting Division under the DHM.
On Tuesday, the Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) remained at a maximum of 139 in Rabi Bhawan and 162 in Ring Road, indicating that the denizens are breathing unhealthy air.
Due to a lack of rainfall and wind, the pollution is trapped on the ground surface, which causes an increase in the pollution level as well as problems in visibility. Dr. Binod Pokharel, Associate Professor at the Central Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Tribhuvan University, said that there is no chance of rainfall anytime soon, at least for a fortnight, which will result in an increased level of pollution in the valley. He said that the country is under some influence of westerly wind which brought moisture but that is not enough for precipitation.
“Kathmandu is already dry for lack of rainfall and the layer of haze and fog will make the valley drier this winter. There is also a chance of more forest fires which also leads to pollution across the country,” Dr. Pokharel said.
Dr. Mani Nepal, Programme Coordinator of South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE), said that forest fires, fossil fuel, coal, vehicle emission and agriculture residue are the main source of pollution. Open-burning municipal waste, agricultural residue and forest fires are adding more pollution during winter, he said.
Vehicle emissions contribute 38 per cent of the pollution whereas agricultural burning contributes 18 per cent. Similarly, resuspended dust (Resuspension is the process in which soil particles are blown by the wind up from the soil surface and then fall back onto the leaves of vegetation where the soil contaminants can be retained for some time on the leaf surfaces or absorbed by the plant into the leaf tissues and possibly transported to other parts of the plant) contribute a total of 25 per cent pollution and brick kiln contribute 11 per cent, according to Dr. Nepal.
According to Saroja Adhikari, Information Officer at the Department of Environment, the department is asking old vehicles for maintenance to control pollution. “We are planning to take action against those who are not cooperating with the department’s request,” she said. “Open burning is another cause of winter pollution, the department has been asking people not to burn the trash. We are planning to go into action for open burning very soon and discussions are underway with the Ministry of Forest and Environment,” Adhikari said.
There is a problem with particulate PM 2.5 (tiny particles or droplets in the air that are two and one-half microns or less in width) testing devices. There are altogether 27 devices across the country but one-third of them are not working, she said. “Our technicians repaired some of them but others are still out of order. Central government has been asked to look after the nonfunctioning devices,” she said.
There are a few solutions to minimise air pollution. According to Dr. Nepal, retiring old vehicles, putting limits on vehicles’ size and weight on the road, controlling forest fires, and emission standards with strict monitoring and enforcement are the potential solutions.
Source : TRN,
