The Kathmandu Valley has ranked second in the world for air pollution today, according to the Air Quality Index (AQI).
India’s capital, Delhi, holds the top position in air pollution globally, while Pakistan’s Lahore is third.
As per the AQI, the Kathmandu Valley’s overall air quality is currently 204. Delhi, which ranks first in pollution, has an AQI of 249, while Lahore, in third place, has an AQI of 202.
Although pollution levels in the Kathmandu Valley decreased slightly due to wind on Friday and Saturday, the danger has not subsided.
Doctors have warned that Kathmandu’s air quality has reached harmful levels for human health.
Experts have stated that the high level of air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley is due to accumulated dust in the sky from the prolonged lack of rainfall and smoke from wildfires in the surrounding forests.
The Ministry of Health has urged citizens to remain cautious, noting that Nepal’s air ranks the second worst in the world.
Doctors have advised people to avoid going outdoors as much as possible, especially in the morning and evening.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) standards, the AQI for human health should be below 35. However, an AQI of up to 50 is still considered normal. AQI levels beyond that are considered unhealthy for human health.
An AQI between 51 and 100 is marked as a cautionary or yellow signal. An AQI between 101 and 150 is understood to affect patients with respiratory and heart diseases, while an AQI between 151 and 200 is considered unhealthy.
An AQI between 201 and 300 is classified as very unhealthy air, while 301 to 400 is considered hazardous, and 401 to 450 is deemed extremely dangerous.
The Air Quality Management Action Plan for Kathmandu Valley, 2076, states that an AQI exceeding 300 should be treated as a disaster.
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