KATHMANDU: The air quality of Kathmandu goes through a range of fluctuations throughout the day, which is appraised by measuring the total suspended particulate matters in the air at any given time of the day.

At 12 pm this afternoon, the air quality monitoring of the Department of Environment (DoE) placed at Ratnapark measured the total suspended particulate matter PM 2.5 at 62.7, the running average of which in the past one hour stood at 64.66, past eight hours at 67.86, and past 24 hours at 90.81.

Likewise, the DoE data at the same hour indicated the total suspended particulate matter PM 10 at 79.2, the running average of which in the past one hour stood at 78.04, past eight hours at 72.71, and past 24 hours at 143.32.

Similarly, according to the data provided by US Embassy, Air Quality Index (AQI) monitoring of PM 2.5 at the premises of the embassy measured 156 at 12:00 pm today, which falls under ‘unhealthy’ category that affects not only the sensitive groups – people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teenagers – but everyone.

The same data shows that AQI monitoring of PM 2.5 at Phohora Durbar, Kathmandu measured 159 at 12:00 pm today, which too falls under the same category.

Air quality of Kathmandu Valley has been deteriorating in the past few years. Major contributors to the lowering quality of the city’s air have been determined to be emission from vehicles, increasing levels of dust in the air caused by the on-going road expansion and Melamchi Drinking Water Project, emissions from industries, and smoke emitted from brick kilns, among others.

The issue has started to draw increasing public attention as the air pollution is adversely affecting public health and the environment at large.

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