Residents in 10 Tarai districts bordering highly polluted areas of northern India are experiencing a 5.1-year reduction in their average lifespan due to severe air pollution, according to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) 2024 report. The report highlights the severe impact of air pollution across the Tarai region.
Meteorologist Binod Pokharel warned that haze and smoke have begun to affect Nepal, with air pollution expected to worsen in the coming days. He specifically pointed to the burning of paddy stubble in India’s Punjab and Haryana states after harvest as a potential source of smoke entering Nepal.
Air pollution typically increases in Nepal every year during winter and the pre-monsoon season (February to April). The Kathmandu Valley, due to its bowl-shaped topography, can trap polluted air for weeks. In Nepal, paddy stubble burning also occurs in October-November, contributing to pollution.
Madhesh and Lumbini provinces face higher levels of air pollution compared to the Kathmandu Valley, according to expert Bhushan Tuladhar. He attributed this to the impact of pollution from India’s Uttar Pradesh state, the widespread practice of burning paddy stubble and other fires in fields during winter, and the concentration of industrial areas within Madhesh province.
The Department of Environment, a government body under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment, reported that six cities, including Kathmandu, were on the polluted list in the last 24 hours. These include Janakpur in Dhanusha, Bharatpur in Chitwan, and Deukhuri in Dang. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) for these six cities exceeded 151. Kathmandu’s Ratnapark recorded an AQI of 187, while the World Health Organization (WHO) considers an AQI below 50 to be healthy.
A World Bank report from June 17, 2025, indicated that approximately 26,000 people die prematurely each year in Nepal due to air pollution, reducing the average Nepali lifespan by nearly 3.5 years. The economic cost of poor air quality exceeds 6 percent of Nepal’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually, according to the World Bank. In 2019, 42,100 deaths in Nepal were attributed to indoor and outdoor air pollution.
Meteorologist Pokharel emphasized the need for caution, stating that burning waste and vehicles emitting excessive smoke could further exacerbate the situation. He advised against burning waste, recommended regular vehicle maintenance, and encouraged people to stay informed about local air quality.
As air pollution is expected to increase further, individual and community-level precautions are essential. Pokharel stressed the importance of reducing local pollution sources and working towards cleaner air.
The World Bank report recommends promoting electric vehicles, strengthening inspection and maintenance systems for fuel-powered vehicles, and reducing road dust to achieve clean air goals. It also suggests adopting clean technologies, including electric and pellet boilers and furnaces, in small and medium-sized enterprises. The Department of Environment has issued a request for pollution reduction and stated its commitment to environmental monitoring of industries and factories.
What happens next
Meteorologist Binod Pokharel expects air pollution to increase further in the coming days, emphasizing the need for individual and community-level precautions and reduction of local pollution sources. The Department of Environment has issued a request for pollution reduction and committed to environmental monitoring of industries and factories.
