Air quality in Kathmandu Valley deteriorates

Kathmandu, December 1 — The air quality in the Kathmandu Valley has deteriorated.

According to the World Air Quality Index (IQAir), the air quality in the Patan area of Lalitpur in the Kathmandu Valley was measured at 175 AQI, in the Kathmandu area at 161 AQI, and in Bhaktapur at 155 AQI as of 9:45 AM on Sunday.

From a health perspective, an AQI of 0–50 is considered good, 51–100 is moderate, and 101–150 is unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Likewise, if the AQI reaches 151–200, it is categorized as unhealthy, 201–300 as very unhealthy, and above 301 as hazardous, as per the Environment Department's report.

The AQI measures the concentration of pollution in the air that is not visible to the naked eye. It indicates the presence of tiny particles smaller than 2.5 microns, carbon monoxide, sulfur, and nitrogen oxides in the air.