Prepared as assignment for the presentation on own class during studying M.Sc. in IOE, Pulchowk Campus

1. CONTEXTUALIZED TO KATHMANDU VALLEY
Prepared BY: Er. Bishnu Pd. Devkota
067MST258

2.  Introduction
 Objective of the Study
 Literature Review
 Research Methodology
 Historical Background: Kathmandu Valley
 Present Issues: Kathmandu Valley
 Analyzing the data
 Future Forecast: Kathmandu Valley
 Results
 Conclusions/Recommendations
 References

3.  Urbanization: to make an area of countryside or a village
into a town (Encarta® 2008)
 Air Pollution: addition of harmful substances to the
atmosphere resulting in damage to the environment,
human health, and quality of life. (Encarta ® 2008)
 The major source of air pollutant in many urban area is
found as the exhaust from vehicles.
 The previously completed research works about the air
pollution in Kathmandu valley shows the transportation
as the major source of pollution.
 I have reviewed more than 10 research reports about
Kathmandu valley and additional 10 reports from
various parts of the world. This means that the data
presented in this presentation are secondary data. To get
more data I have visited a lot of government and other
official websites that are listed in the references.

4.  The main objective of this study is to extract the major issues
or sources of air pollution within the transportation
mechanism in the context of Kathmandu valley and conclude
for some reasonable recommendations
 It also has the following objectives:
 To collect various types of air pollution parameters
 To evaluate the major sources
 To describe the transportation as a source of air pollutant
 To collect the major causes of air pollution within
transportation system
 To evaluate the causes on the basis of secondary data
 To provide some recommendations

5.  Urban transport and environment in
Kathmandu Valley by Shobhakhar Dhakal,
Japan
 Air pollution and role of urban transportaion in
Kathmandu Valley by Nawaraj Khatiwada
(SchEMS and MOPE)
 Assessment of ambient air quality in Bishnumati
corridor, Kathmandu metropolis
 Kathmandu university medical journal (2003)
vol-1, no.4, Issue 4
 Climate and air quality : a case study by Sunil
Pokhrel, University Edwardsville
 CIA: Asia network, vol-5

6. GEOGRAPHY
oValley area: 640 sq. km
o Floor area: 400 sq. km
•Kathmandu – metropolitan city
•Kirtipur – municipality
•Lalitpur – sub-metropolitan city
•Bhaktapur municipality
•Madhyapur municipality
•VDCs

7. Source: July 2004, IGES

8.  Transportation Sector
 City transportation and long distance travel
 Vehicular emission
 Resuspension of particles
 Solid wastages dumped on the road
 Industry
 Brick kilns
 Cement factory
 Construction activities
 3000 houses per year (1990-2000)
 Other sources
 Air transport
 Tyre burning

9. Source: July 2004, IGES

10. Source: July 2004, IGES (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies)

11. Source: Encreta 2008

12. Source:

13. NAAQS=National Ambient Air Quality Standard
Source: July 2004, IGES

17.  In 1987, EPA (Environment Protection Agency) replaced the
earlier Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) air quality
standard with a PM-10 standard. The new standard focuses
on smaller particles that are likely responsible for adverse
health effects because of their ability to reach the lower
regions of the respiratory tract. The PM-10 standard
includes particles with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less
(0.0004 inches or one-seventh the width of a human hair).
EPA's health-based national air quality standard for PM-10
is 50 μg/m3 (measured as an annual mean) and 150 μg/m3
(measured as a daily concentration). Major concerns for
human health from exposure to PM-10 include: effects on
breathing and respiratory systems, damage to lung tissue,
cancer, and premature death. The elderly, children, and
people with chronic lung disease, influenza, or asthma, are
especially sensitive to the effects of particulate matter.

19.  In PM 10 Concentration:
 NAAQS: 120 microgram/ cubic meter
 Highest concentration in winter season
 Sag in the curve coincide with rainy season
 So2 Concentration:
 NAAQS: 70 mocrogram/cubic meter (24 hr average)
 Highest values in Bhaktapur
 Operating season: December to may
 CO Concentration:
 NAAQS: 10,000 microgram/cubic meter (8hr
average)

21.  Large scale introduction of bus system will
reduce large no of vehicles and save energy.
However, in absence of progressive emission
standards this will increase PM10 and SO2
 In long-run a number of countermeasures
would be necessary.
 Tightening of emission standards is necessary
but not sufficient: effective for SO2, PM10 and
Nox but ineffective for reducing CO2.
 Greater use of indigenously produced energy
resources (electricity in this case)

22.  Promoting public transportation, especially with
those which high occupancy modes are essential
for a number of factors
 A package of countermeasures are necessary
which only can address various priority issues
such as PM10, congestion, energy saving, greater
use of electricity and CO2
 There should be synergies (coordination), not the
conflicts, between local and global priorities in the
Kathmandu Valley
 Issues: Data quality (vehicle stock, operating
factor, fuel efficiencies, emission factors)

23.  http://www.iges.or.jplenlue
 www.google.com.np
 www.kathmandu.gov.np
 http://ces.ioe.edu.np
 www.dor.gov.np
 http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/