Kathmandu most polluted city of Asia: Report

A recent report has revealed that Kathmandu is the most polluted city among 20 cities of Asia.

A study report prepared by a team led by Cornie Huizenga with the assistance of Asian Development Bank showed that Kathmandu is in the top of the list of sensitive cities from the air pollution point of view.

The study was released as Asian environment ministers held the first governmental meeting on Asian urban air quality this week in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

"There is high possibility of human loss due to the diseases caused from pollution," the report warned.

WHO scientists estimate 537,000 people in Southeast Asia and the Pacific die prematurely each year due to air pollution.

The level of PM10 in the air of Kathmandu is 120 microgram per square meter. As Per the standard of World Health Organization the level of PM10 should be 20 microgram per square meter.

The level of PM10 is high than the official standard in most of the places of Kathmandu valley.

Indian Capital Delhi and Indonesian Capital Jakarta also fall in the list of sensitive cities from the pollution point of view.

The report was prepared based on research at major cities of Asia.

The report studied 22 Asian cities and one of its key findings is that the concentration of the fine particulate matter PM10 is “serious” in Beijing, Dhaka, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Kathmandu, Kolkata, New Delhi, and Shanghai.

"Asia’s growth in population, urbanization, motorization and energy consumption remain key challenges to efforts to counter air pollution," the report adds .

The Kantipur Daily quoted Suman Sharma of Ministry of Environment as criticizing that the report failed to mention official source of information and prepared without direct involvement of any organization.

However, environmentalist Bhusan Tuladhar said that there is a need of immediately improving the pollution level of Kathmandu.