Kathmandu at times can be called Dustmandu. From the many things out of control in the capital city, air pollution is one that affects all. The World Health Organization 2016 Air Quality Report mentioned Kathmandu as one of the most polluted cities in the world which comes as no surprise. Activists behind the “Campaign for Clean Air Rights” (C-CAR) have been campaigning to the government to formulate a comprehensive clean air action plan to address air pollution, install air pollution monitoring stations in key locations, strictly implement the existing vehicle emission standards and mobilise pollution tax towards mitigation activities.
On Sunday, 5th of June, over 200 gathered in front of the Rastriya Sabha Griha (National City Hall) in Kathmandu demanding the Government of Nepal to take urgent action to address the deteriorating air quality in cities of Nepal such as Kathmandu. The #MaskMandu campaign aimed to highlight the need for greater government action through its message – Kathmandu’s air quality has become so toxic that masks alone cannot protect the people of Kathmandu. The #MaskMandu campaign started with a flash mob and everybody later joined the dancers to symbolically lay dead to demand immediate action by the government to improve air quality and ensure the constitutional right to live in a healthy and clean environment as stated in Article 30 in the Constitution of Nepal 2072. (Full photos from the C-CAR Facebook page)
You can sign the online petition here!
An important campaign to back and support! It’s a shame that we all talk about it and complain about it but somehow somewhere, there’s a disconnection between complaining and doing something about it. Maybe those that have the ability to do something should be encouraged to walk to work for few days and then… just maybe… something would be done?
