Kathmandu. Air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley is increasing. Air pollution has also started increasing in the last few days as the weather is becoming foggy.

Director General of the Department of Environment, Gyan Raj Subedi, said that the weather has become foggy due to lack of rainfall for a long time, which has contributed to the increase in pollution. “It hasn’t rained for a long time and there is no wind. Therefore, the weather has become cloudy for the past few days,” he said, adding, “The pollution is slightly less this year as compared to last year.” Pollution will not increase significantly until forest fires start. ”

As per the Air Quality Index (AQI), the air quality index (AQI) in Kathmandu Valley stood at 186 as of noon today. With this, Kathmandu has been listed as the fourth most polluted city in the world, according to environmentalist Bhusan Tuladhar. Stating that timely preparedness was necessary to control pollution, he said that proper management of waste coming out of houses, control of fire, testing of smoke in vehicles and strict enforcement of standards would help in controlling pollution.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, while an AQI between 51 and 100 is considered ‘cautionary’. Similarly, 101 to 150 people are considered unhealthy, which especially affects respiratory and heart patients, so the Department Director General Subedi urged all to adopt precautions. Between 151 and 200 are considered “unhealthy”, 201 to 300 “very unhealthy” and above 300 “extremely dangerous”, he said.