Air quality in the Kathmandu Valley has been deteriorating sharply, reaching very unhealthy levels in the morning and evening this winter. More than a thousand Brick kilns started their operations on January 15 in Nepal, which was a deadline agreed upon by the industry and government. January 15 is an auspicious time when house construction work begins in the Hindu community, raising the demand for bricks.

 

Hospitals across Nepal are reporting more respiratory cases, like cough, bronchitis, wheezing, and other lung problems linked to poor air quality. High traffic in the valley continues to add poisonous gases and particulates to the air. Practices like open burning of waste and lack of strong winds lead to trapping of pollutants longer in the bowl-shaped valley basin.

 

This seasonal smog is persistent and tends to degrade air quality significantly from December through February.