The unending race among nations all over the globe for development has jeopardized the human race. Rapid progress in industrialization and mechanization has resulted in unlimited exploitation of natural resources. Thus, air pollution is a gift of industrial civilisation.

Lack of development of a culture of air pollution control has resulted in serious air pollution problems in the developing countries like Nepal. In our country, outdoor air pollution is a problem in the major cities. Other minor sources are domestic cooking fuels refuse burning and resuspended dust particles.

 The quality of the air we breathe is fundamental to the quality of life. Air pollution has become a serious environmental concern and a public health risk in Nepal. Nepal is the fastest urbanising country in South Asia (World Bank 2012).

 

 

Sources of Air Pollution:

In Nepal, mainly pollutants emitted from anthropogenic activities pollute air in both urban and rural areas. In rural areas, the use of solid biomass fuels such as woods, cow-dung, and agriculture residues as source of energy for cooking and heating purposes particularly in the poorly ventilated houses is the main concern of indoor air pollution.

 

While in Urban areas, increasing vehicles emission, DG, brick kilns , cement factories are major source of pollutants.

 

Outdoor Air Pollution

1. Load shedding

Regular power cut has led to increasing usage of diesel generators (DG) sets as an alternative source of electricity in industries, commercial and noncommercial sectors, which is contributing to air pollution in Chitwan. The commercial sector (hotels, restaurants, Radio stations, banks etc.) is found to be the largest source of emissions from diesel power generation accounting PM₁₀ emissions. The emission from diesel generator is significantly high during the dry season when the load shedding is at its peak.

 

2. Brick Kilns

Brick kilns are other major source of air pollution. In Chitwan we have up to 10-20 brick kilns.

Major pollutants released from brick kilns are PM _2.5, SO₂, CO, Black Carbon and Carbon Dioxide

 

Emission of individual air pollutant from brick kilns varied significantly during a firing batch (seven days) and between kilns. Average emission factors per 1,000 bricks were 6.35 to 12.3 kg of CO, 0.52 to 5.9 kg of SO₂ and 0.64 to 1.4 kg of particulate matter (PM). Presently Sulphur dioxide (SO₂), oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) and suspended particulate matter (SPM) are the main issue pertaining to air pollution problems in developing countries, where it contributes both to urban pollution and to regional acid depositions.

 

3. Fossil Fuel Consumption and Biomass Burning

The increasing demand for more fuel due to increased population and life style create pressure on the atmosphere.

 

4. Transport Sector Growth

There has been a significant rise in the number of vehicles in the country with increased population, mobility, industrialization and economic activities.

 

Indoor Air Pollution

1. Biomass smoke

About 83.3 percent households of Nepal (Urban 39.1% and rural 92.3%) use solid fuel as  primary source of energy (NDHS 2006). So, it can be assumed that there is substantial burden of disease attributable to indoor air pollution. Solid bio-fuels like animal dung, crop residues, wood and coal for cooking daily meals and heating homes are the primary cause of biomass smoke and results in indoor air pollution. This problem is more pronounced in the rural parts of Nepal because they are poor and cannot afford to adopt cleaner fuels. It seems that the poor will continue using bio fuels seeing the tempo of development of our country.

 

Air Pollution in Chitwan:

Chitwan is one of most developed cities in Nepal ranking in 5^th position after Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Pokhara and Birgunj. Chitwan also aids for air pollution but least. Since most of the part of Chitwan lies nearby forests and buffer zone, effects are least here. Most of the carbon released is sequestered in forests of Chitwan National Park.

 

Sources of Air Pollution in Chitwan :

 

Outdoor Air Pollution		Indoor Air Pollution
Major Sources	Minor Sources	Major Sources	Minor Sources
Vehicles	Forest Fire	Biomass smoke	Smoking cigarettes
Industry	Burning of dry plants		Degradation of Indoor furnishing materials
Emission from DG	Biogas release
Brick kilns	Occasional Fire
Burning of plastics, rubber.

 

So, air pollution is not serious in Chitwan but its time to act to reduce air pollution mainly due to plastics burning, old vehicles emission and burning of crop residues.

 

Impacts of Air Pollution

 Heart, Respiratory  Diseases and Cancer

Air pollution is a major environmental risk to public health. New findings of WHO reveals strong link between air pollution exposure and cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and ischemic heart disease, as well as cancer. This is in addition to air pollution?s role in the development of respiratory diseases (WHO, 2014)

 

World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 3 million people die each year due to air pollution in the world (World Bank 2003, ?Health Impacts of Outdoor Air Pollution?. South Asia Urban Air Quality Management Briefing, paper No. 11). According to the WHO, air pollution is responsible for increases in outpatient visits due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, hospital admissions and mortality.

 

Economic Burden

Already, the aggregate environmental health costs associated with poor environmental management are estimated to reach close to 3.5% of gross domestic product (GDP), representing a significant burden of Nepal?s economy (World Bank, 2008).

 

 

 

Control Measures in Nepal ::

1.National Ambient Air Quality Standard NAAQS) was introduced in 2003 and updated in 2012

 

2.Environmental Protection Act introduced in 1997 make legal provision to maintain clean and healthy environment by minimizing adverse impacts as far as possible.

 

3. Climate Change Policy 2011 has aimed at moving in low carbon development path, which provide co-benefits for reducing the air pollution..

 

4. Nepal Vehicle Mass Emission Standard (NVMES) was introduced in 2000 and revised in 2012. Now all vehicles except for heavy equipment vehicles imported to Nepal require compliance with EURO III emission standard.

 

5.Euro III Standard Fuel: Nepal Oil Standard started supplying EURO III standard of fuel since 2010.

 

6. Emission standards for in-use and new diesel generators (DG) sets, industrial boilers, cement industries and crusher industries were Introduced in 2012. However, implementation of the standards and its compliance has not been effective yet. The government has also introduced brick kiln stack emission standard in 2008.

 

7. Ban on polluting vehicles: The government banned the operation of heavily polluting diesel three wheelers and import of new two-stroke and second hand vehicles in 1999, in an effort to combat air pollution in Kathmandu Valley. This initiative prompted the scaling up of electric vehicles (Safa tempo) for public transportation. Ban on the heavily polluting Movable vehicles.

 

Maintaining Air Quality

1.        Promotion of cleaner/safer and environmentally friendly vehicles

2.     Enforcement of environmental laws and by laws

3.     Scientific traffic management with incorporated vehicle monitoring

4.     Promotion of non-motorized vehicles and public transport through better services and discouraging use of fossil fuels

5.     Cleaner production and energy efficiency in industries

6.     Separate residential areas and away from industrial areas

7.      Promotion of Safer Kitchens with proper ventilation

8.     Awareness, education and advocacy on health impact of air pollution

9.      Need to conduct routine Air Quality Monitoring in Kathmandu Valley and in other major urban areas for time series data

10.    Need to enforce Indoor Air Quality Standards and Guideline 2009

11.      Need to conduct epidemiological studies on health impact of air pollution in both urban and rural areas.