The Constitution has ensured it as fundamental right. However, it is hard to stay easily for a while without mask. The government launched different campaigns to control pollution but the implementation remained weak. The graph of air pollution is rising day by day. But the government does not care about it. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 35,000 people die every year, Nepal due to air pollution.
Lately, life of people living in the Kathmandu valley has been painful owing to the air pollution, according to a study. The different studies show that the pollution level has increased five times, creating problems to people. It is condemnable not to invest in air pollution control. It is unfortunate that the policy makers and the NGOs advocating for clean environment are aloof from this.
An international study shows that Nepal’s pollution is one of the five worst countries in the world. According to a report of Yale and Columbia Universities on Environment performance Index 2018 publicized recently in coordination with World Economic Forum, Nepal is on the front row among the countries of air pollution. The pollution graph is rising along with increasing number of vehicles. The air quality is deteriorating. Nepal’s air pollution level is 31.44 while India’s is 30.57 and Bangladesh’s 29.56.
The increasing number of vehicles along with urban lifestyle has not only increased pollution but also affected in the climate change. This concern was also moved to the Supreme Court, which directed to manage compensation. However, it is yet to be implemented.
Minister for Forests and Environment Shakti Bahadur Basnet promised the valley denizens to improve environment that they need not wear masks but failed to implement them at all. The fund collected for 10 years in order to control pollution has been useless. It is the weakness and negligence of the government to be able to utilize the funds.
The government has been collecting Rs 0.50 per liter from the vehicles operating all over the country for last 22 years. Rs 5 billion was collected till last mid-August under the tax title number 14521. However, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Forests and Environment could not reach for an agreement to use the fund for a decade.
After implementation of Fiscal Act 17 years ago, Nepal Oil Corporation started collecting levy from the consumers. In the beginning, Rs 0.50 was collected per liter of diesel/petrol in the Kathmandu valley. The Act provisions depositing the fund collected to control pollution in the separate account. Following the amendment of the Fiscal Act nine years ago, it allowed to collect Rs 0.50 per liter from across the country. According to the Act, the revenue collected monthly should be deposited in the bank account within 25 days of the next month. The collection was transparent after it was deposited in the account of the Ministry of Finance.
World Health Organization has set a standard of dust particles weighing 2.5 micrograms, which must be 10 microgram per cubic meter outside the home and 20 microgram per cubic meter inside the home. The government standard is 40 microgram per cubic meter outside the home and 50 microgram per cubic meter inside the home. The PM of Kathmandu is 92.50 49 microgram cubic meter. Thirty-eight percent of valley pollution belongs to vehicle emission pollution and 25 percent to dust while agriculture and brick kilns contribute 18 and 11 percent respectively. Similarly, industries contribute 3 percent, domestic pollution 3 percent, waste burning and others 2 percent. When compared to the vehicle numbers between 2002 and 2012, the number of vehicles has increased by 14 percent every year.
If we believe the report of World Bank, the pollution has badly affected in human health and death, climate change and decline in agriculture production. Likewise, the natural risk has increased while there is decline in natural biodiversity. It is inevitable to manage and minimize the risk of air pollution. Therefore, the government must prioritize to control the air pollution known as silent killer of human health and environment.