KATHMANDU, Dec 6: An estimated 75 percent of Nepal's population is exposed to unsafe levels of particulate matter air pollution.

According to the 2016 Environment Performance Index (EPI) of Yale University in the US, nearly 75 percent of the population in Nepal is exposed to unsafe levels of particulate matter  in the atmosphere.  Air pollution in Kathmandu and in the tarai areas is particularly worrying.

“About 17 million babies under the age of one year breathe toxic air, and a majority live in South Asia,” says UNICEF.

These babies live in areas where air pollution is at least six times higher than the international limits, causing them to breathe toxic air and potentially putting their brain development at risk, according to a new UNICEF paper released on Tuesday.

Republica Online’s Prabin Koirala brings photos of masked children in the country’s capital.

 
• nepal
 
• kathmandu
 
• pollution
 
• children