KATHMANDU, APRIL 5

In the wake of hazardous air pollution levels in the Kathmandu Valley, environmental organizations have urged the government to take immediate and effective measures to curb the rising pollution.

They emphasized the urgent need for coordinated efforts among government bodies, local communities, and security agencies to control the forest fires currently raging across various parts of the country.

In a joint statement, Chairperson of the Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ) Chandra Shekhar Karki, Executive Director of the Prakriti Resource Centre Raju Pandit Chhetri, General Secretary of Clean Energy Nepal Rajan Parajuli, Director of Omni Ventures Silsila Acharya, and environmentalist Bhushan Tuladhar called on the government to immediately ban smoke-emitting vehicles and prohibit trucks and lorries that transport dust into the valley.

The group also urged authorities to temporarily close schools, ban the burning of crop residue, and mandate the use of face masks until the valley's air quality improves.

Data from pollution monitoring centers indicates that the air in Kathmandu is highly hazardous to human health. Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), black carbon, carbon monoxide, and ozone levels have all exceeded safe limits.

According to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Kathmandu's air quality has remained in the 'unhealthy' category for 75 of the past 90 days. The bowl-shaped valley has ranked among the world's most polluted cities in recent years.