Mustang. An air quality measurement centre has been set up in Mustang. The Department of Environment, Government of Nepal has set up the centre at Shaligram Park near the District Administration Office at Jomsom.

Department’s Director General Gyan Raj Subedi said the government has installed necessary physical infrastructure and technology for setting up the 31st Air Quality Measurement Centre. He said that the measurement center has been established here with the objective of maintaining environmental cleanliness, balancing pollution within certain limits, connecting it with the organs of sustainable development and not allowing human health to be adverse.

Director General of the Department, Subedi, said that the Department has established such air quality measurement centers in five places of the world at an altitude of more than 3,000 above sea level, out of which two are in Nepal. “This type of technology has been installed in Rara of Mugu and then jomsom of Mustang. Earlier, we have brought air quality monitoring centers into operation in 30 districts of Nepal. More than Rs 10 million has been spent to install the technology in Mustang,” he said.

According to the Department, 2,000 kW solar panels, electricity access and internet connection have been installed along with the construction of a puff panel house here. The equipment installed here is expected to make it easier to determine future strategies to be adopted to reduce air quality, environmental hygiene and environmental pollution.

Director General Subedi said that with the installation of technology at the measurement center, its test is being broadcast and in the process, only three air quality points have been seen here. “The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the air quality is good for an average of 50 points. We think that up to 40 points of air quality is good,” he said, adding, “Just three points here means that the air quality is very good.” Looking at the air pollution here, it is like zero air pollution. ’