The weekly government report on ambient air quality in Kathmandu might be highly misleading. The equipment used, environmentalists say, are outdated and the limited number of variables measured insufficient to meet international standards. The weekly report, they assert, is incomplete at best, if not outright wrong. Indeed, silent as the report is on the level of highly carcinogenic chemicals like benzoapyrene, a wrong message is being given as regards the safety of capital Valley’s air.

In 2003, examination of the city’s air by a team under Danish researcher Rossanna Bossi had found that the level of penzoapyrene (another carcinogen) in Kathmandu’s air was three times the level recommended by EU. In the wake of the team’s damning report, fresh promises were made and some commitment shown to clean the Valley’s dirty air. But four years down the line nothing has been done to upgrade the outdated equipment. Nor have international pollution standards been adopted. As a result, dangerous carcinogens like benzoapyrene and penzoapyrene are being freely emitted and there is no way to guess their side-effects on human population. This is literally playing with people’s general health.

In the absence of proper standards, no one in particular can be held accountable for the deteriorating quality of Kathmandu’s air. Add to this the fact that the number of vehicles plying in the city is increasing by the day, and the situation, instead of getting any better, is only getting worse.