Kathmandu, July 30

The US Embassy in Kathmandu, in partnership with Kathmandu Living Lab, is organising a two-day South Asia Air Quality TechCamp on July 30 and 31.

The camp TechCamp brings in participants from seven South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, US Ambassador to Nepal Randy Berry said high level of pollution can have lasting impact on the cognitive skills of young children. “Air pollution takes a costly toll on the public health, economy and environment across the region, so we need a regional response.  Finding a solution to the current air pollution crisis is a daunting task, so we must be ambitious,” he said.

Participants presented the situation of air pollution in cities they represent including New Delhi, Kolkata, Lahore, Dhaka and Karachi.

The event will provide participants with state-of-the art innovative tools and technologies to help amplify their voice to address air quality issues in the region.

It aims to address political, social, and scientific aspects of the problem and improve the ability of civil society and media to engage governments, empower the public, and take action to improve air quality in South Asia, according to a press release issued by the embassy today.

The camp plans to fund participants in exercising their newly acquired skills and technology solutions into action towards controlling air pollution.

Programs of the camp are interactive and hands-on workshops that leverage private sector technology experts to build technical capacity among civil society advocates, journalists, youth network participants, government officials and others who are working on specific policy priorities, stated the press release.