Air pollution has become a serious problem in Kathmandu Valley. It is normal that there will be high amount of dust in dry weather but the ongoing work of road extension and Melamchi Pipeline laying have made it worst.
There are lots of news about it, campaigns are done to make government awake about the issues and its being talked everyday in social media. Though, campaigns are done to force government, it hasn't bought any solution. People are investing their time in mass demonstration and advertising their campaigns instead of discussing and bringing out solutions.
The problem isn't only the dust due to construction activities, it is due to over population, increasing industries and heavy traffic which have been emitting carbon dioxide and toxic gases at alarming rate.
SO, I have proposed some solutions for this problems:
1) SPREADING WATER
The immediate solution to dust is WATER. Water can be spreaded on the roads at the intervals of few
hours by trucks. For example: Koteshowr-Kalanki is the most dusty road in Kathmandu. The dust on the air is not due to ongoing work but due to the movement of vehicles on dusty road. So, spreading water on the existing road will certainly reduce the dust on air.
Same things can be done on other parts of Kathmandu.
Engine oils, chloride slats can also be used for more efficiency but it will be expensive to spread them for longer span.
2) WORKING AT NIGHT
Second solution to the dust would be WORKING AT NIGHT. The excavation of road surfaces increases dust on air. If it is possible, the excavation work should be done at night when temperature will be low and traffic will be less. Not only excavation, transportation of construction materials and their placement should also be done at night.
(If you have ride a bike and had been behind a truck carrying sand/soil, you must have seen the amount of dust it emits )
3) TRAFFIC REGULATION
As mentioned in no. 2, permitting trucks and delivery vehicles only at night time can be a solution. Similarly, regulation of school buses, delivery vans, private vehicles etc. for specific hour can also be a solution. This has already been planned by government. I hope it will start soon.
Similarity ODD-EVEN formula can also be applied in Kathmandu Valley. It was applied during blockade.
Polluted city like DELHI has already practiced it to reduce air pollution. They did it for 10-15 days which reduced the pollution by considerable amount.
This is not only the solution to pollution but a best solution of TRAFFIC JAM.
If we can make a short term plans on the basis of these three things, we can obviously reduce the amount of dust in roads.
To reduce air pollution, we need long term plans which includes proper urban design, afforestation, daily road maintenance and regulation of traffic.
THE ONLY POINT IS, LET'S MAKE SOME DISCUSSION TO BRING OUT THE SOLUTION INSTEAD OF RAISING THE PROBLEMS. PUTTING MASK ON THE FACE OF STATUES AND CONDUCTING MARATHON WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. DISCUSSION SHOULD BE DONE IN LOCAL, POLITICAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL WITH MUCH PRIORITY.
"सरकार छदै छ नी भनेर बस्ने हो भने, न त यो समस्याको समाधान हुन्छ न त देश नै बन्छ !!!"
