The cityscapes of Kathmandu and Pokhara are fading, covered by a blanket of smog, which is impacting tourism and health.
According to the Air Quality Index (AQI), Kathmandu is one of the world’s most polluted cities. Occasional wind or rainfall may clear things up for a day, but then the smokescreen returns, blocking the view and irritating eyes and lungs. The Nepalese capital is the 22nd on the list, with an AQI of 77. This is seen as ‘moderate’ but should be perceived as a signal for caution.
and (bottom) image jan 6 2024 (a hazy day when the Himalayan ranges could not be seen).
Photo Credit :Adhitiya Shrestha Landscape/ Wildlife Photographer
The onslaught of severe air pollution is reducing once beautiful and bright cities like Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, and Pokhara to dull greyness.
No immediate solutions
The onslaught of severe air pollution is reducing once beautiful and bright cities like Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, and Pokhara to dull greyness. It imposes a threat to tourism that should not be underestimated. Foreign tourists are reluctant to go on sightseeing tours when the skies are covered with thick smog. The rise in air pollution can also be observed in the increase in coughs, colds, sore throats, and eye problems among valley
residents.
The Ministry of Tourism has requested that people avoid highly polluted areas, indicating that the government has no immediate solutions to curb the output of polluting substances caused by rapidly escalating forest fires, carbon emissions from vehicles, emissions from industries, households, and poor waste management.
The Department of Environment reported satellite data indicating more than 1,650 cases of wildfires since the beginning of 2024. These cases are widespread, contributing to a rise in air pollution — alongside the loss of lives and property. Experts have stressed the need for immediate and effective actions to control wildfires in the country.
Subsequent increases in the number of vehicles are one of the main culprits of air pollution. The municipality of Kathmandu issued bans on using vehicles older than 30 years—yet the implementation lacks effectiveness.
Poor air quality can cause short-term and long-term effects on public health, leading to pneumonia, bronchitis, conjunctivitis, skin allergies, strokes, and heart problems.
Effects on public health
According to the Ministry of Health and Population, air pollution leads to 42,100 deaths yearly in the country. 19% of the victims are children under five, and about 27% are adults over 70. In response to increased air pollution levels in Kathmandu, the Ministry has requested that people wear masks.
Poor air quality can cause short-term and long-term effects on public health, leading to pneumonia, bronchitis, conjunctivitis, skin allergies, strokes, and heart problems. Doctors advise people to avoid highly polluted areas and stay home, noting that recovery from infections by other viruses also slows down when air quality deteriorates.
A study on hospitalised patients of various hospitals in Kathmandu Valley shows a high prevalence of respiratory diseases. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was the most prevalent disease, with a significant proportion of other diseases also present.
“With coronavirus circulating in our communities, the risk of getting infected with multiple viruses, including coronavirus, increases when air quality deteriorates,” said Dr. Sher Bahadur Pun, chief of the clinical research unit at the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital.
The valley is surrounded by high mountains ranging from 2,000 to 2,800 metres above sea level. Its unique bowlshaped topographic structure restricts wind movement, thereby retaining pollutants in the air and making it particularly vulnerable to air pollution.
Through its Department of Environment, the Government of Nepal has established air quality monitoring stations in different parts of Nepal with support from various governmental and intergovernmental organisations. However, its monitoring appears to be weak. This has made it imperative that all three tiers of government—federal, provincial, and local—formulate an action plan and implement it effectively before the land turns into a mere dystopian wasteland.
Pratikshya Bhatta is a junior editor with Nepal Connect.
