Health

How to be safe in extreme Pollution of Kathmandu City

Nepal’s capital Kathmandu has been dubbed as the seventh most polluted city in the world, thanks to rampant air and water pollution.

Numbeo recently made public the pollution ranking of 290 cities around the world.With pollution index 97.73, Kathmandu featured in the top ten along with  Kabul, Afghanistan (103.92); Accra, Ghana (102.61); Tetovo, Macedonia (98.09); Faridabad, India (96.58); Cairo, Egypt (96.28) and Dhaka, Bangladesh (95.91); Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (95.34); Karachi, Pakistan (95.29) and Ghaziabad, India (95.27).

It is so alarming that we can actually see and smell the pollution around us. This is why, it is absolutely important to take the necessary safeguards that will ensure we aren’t as affected by respiratory problems and other breathing troubles.

Also Read: How much Dangerous is Pollution in Kathmandu

  1. Ensure you eat properly for good immunity: It’s that time of the year when the season’s changing and with the added hazardous effects of pollution, many are susceptible to falling sick or at least catching a cold. It is important that you eat properly and keep yourself hydrated to ensure your immunity fights the diseases.
  2. Use a pollution mask every time you step out: To sit at home and relax is definitely not an option for many, but wearing pollution masks can minimize the risk of getting affected to a great extent. A mask should be good enough to filter all the dust particles from the air you breathe in. While normal masks are effective enough, N95 and N99 pollution masks are recommended as the most effective ones. These pollution masks can be availed from the online shopping websites and even in your nearby chemist shops.
  3.  Keep away from construction sites: Special precautions must be taken to control the dust produced at large construction sites.
  4. Wash the streets around your house: Roads must be washed instead of swept, to avoid throwing up more dust in the air. Washing the streets will settle the dust instead of blowing it into your nostrils.
  5. Grow and keep more plants: School textbooks have taught us how planting more trees help purify the air we breathe. Plants release oxygen, something which is absolutely essential for life to survive.
  6. Get an air-purifier: With what are definitely alarming levels of toxic air, an air purifier is a recommended way to ensure you are safe. An average air purifier’s price ranges between Rs 5,000 and Rs 25,000, and are easily available on the various shopping websites.
  7. Avoid traveling in open transport: Avoid two-wheeler and use closed public transport and/or cars to travel.
  8. Don’t go out to exercise: Usually, we’d tell you to go out into the open and breathe lung full’s of air as you exercise, but these days, that’s the worst thing to do. Instead, stay home or go a gym that has an air purifier.
  9. Stay close to trees and greenery: If you practice yoga or meditation, preferably do it in places surrounded by trees and plants, which are excellent sources of oxygen.

Also Read: Real time Air Quality Moniter of Kathmandu and other cities of Nepal

 Besides this you can:

  •  Use an air filtration system at home and at work.
  • Stay inside on days with high levels of air pollution.
  • Change air conditioning and heater filter regularly.
  • Do not burn or use combustion engines on days with very light wind and stable weather, especially in urban areas

 

Ref: – I .The Indian express

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