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| Kathmandu, Wednesday September 10, 2003 Bhadra 24, 2060. |
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Air quality at respirable
limit in Valley
POST REPORT
KATHMANDU, Sept 9 : The rains caused the level
of fine particles polluting the air of the Kathmandu Valley to drop to moderate level at
Putalisadak and the Lagankhel area of Patan during the last week (August 31 to September
3). The places had witnessed the level of pollutants marking an unhealthy category the
previous week.
According to weekly pollution results released
today by the Ministry of Population and Environment, the level of particulate matter with
diameter less than or equal to 10 micro-meter (PM10), as shown by air quality monitoring
stations at places like Thamel, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur and Matsyagaon continued to remain in
good category even during the last week.
A major threat to the valley air, PM10 is solid
pollutant with diameter less than or equal to 10 micro-meter. As it remains suspended for
a long time in the air, it is easily inhaled into lungs. It is hazardous to human health
as hospital studies have already found the pollutant responsible for growing health damage
of the people of the valley. Experts say that long exposure to the pollutant is lethal to
the patients of asthma, respiratory diseases, the old and the children alike.
The reading by the air quality monitoring
stations at Putalisadak and Patan, which have roadside background, showed that PM10
remained within the national standard in the week. The national standard for the pollutant
is 120 microgram per cubic meter. The stations at the places recorded 118 micro-gram per
cubic meter on an average. However, Putalisadak witnessed the level of the pollutant
crossing the national standard on some dry days. The stations at Patan, Thamel, Bhaktapur,
Kirtipur and Matsyagaon recorded the level of PM10 well below the national standard last
week. The air at the places has been improving ever since the start of this year’s
monsoon on June 16.
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