Kathmandu is chocking

The view from my window would otherwise be of the Himalayas. Now, I only see smog and a hazy brown sky. As far as I remember, this is my first experience of this scale of pollution. As a Kathmandu dweller, I have experienced pollution to some extent, but this one is out of proportion.

I was out in the evening for some time, and I felt burning eyes and throat. This worried me. The city has become the most polluted, with a hazardous level of pollution.

This is due to the spike in pre-monsoon forest fires across Nepal, especially in the west and some parts of India, according to the experts.

For me, these explanations from experts have very little weightage than my experience. Burning nose and difficulty in eyes. The air pollution here is not just environmental or physiological. It’s deeply personal. It’s the story of my city, my childhood, my children—and perhaps everyone. This has worried me - the health implications of the pollution are immensely high. The old paradise is lost. The green paddy field Kathmandu has turned to a concrete dirty and poluted city.

The paradox of a good city is true. The price to be paid for living in 'urban' is high. Further, the price tag to revive a good city is even higher. We all know the solution. We all are 'experts' on how to improve the air quality. The only missing link is ACT - 'just do it'. I am doing my part, are you?

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