Most Kathmandu Valley residents rely on senses, not data, to assess air pollution: Taza survey

KATHMANDU, Oct 7: Although 81.2 percent of Kathmandu Valley residents consider air pollution hazardous or extremely hazardous to their health, most people who check air quality rely on smell, visibility and eye irritation rather than official data, a new survey has found.

The survey of 1,200 Valley residents conducted by Taza Initiative Nepal found that 94.1 percent of those who monitor air quality use their senses to assess pollution levels.

Overall, 52.3 percent of respondents rated the air quality in their locality as poor or very poor. Negative perceptions were highest in Lalitpur, where 60.9 percent rated local air quality negatively, followed by Kathmandu at 59.2 percent and Bhaktapur at 56 percent. In North Kathmandu, 35.9 percent held a negative view of local air quality.

Knowledge about how to check air quality varied significantly by educational attainment. Only 10.8 percent of respondents with primary education or below said they knew how to check air quality, compared with 63 percent of those with a master’s degree or higher.

Digital monitoring was more common among younger residents who actively track air quality. Among respondents aged 18 to 24 who monitor air quality, 60.3 percent use websites and 42.5 percent use mobile applications. However, these accounted for only 14.1 percent and 10 percent, respectively, of the entire 18-to-24 age group.

Motor vehicles and traffic emissions were identified as major sources of air pollution by 98.6 percent of respondents, while 94.8 percent identified dust from road construction as a significant contributor.

The survey also found strong support for measures to address air pollution. Some 79.9 percent of respondents supported expanding public transport and electric mobility, while 71.5 percent backed stronger dust-control measures and urban greening. At the same time, 70.4 percent expressed dissatisfaction with government efforts to address air pollution.

Regarding personal protection, 82 percent of respondents said they use surgical masks or scarves. However, 43.4 percent said they take no personal measures to protect themselves from air pollution.

The survey also found that poor air quality may be influencing some residents’ decisions to leave the Valley. Of the 7.2 percent considering leaving the Kathmandu Valley, 39.1 percent cited poor air quality as a contributing factor, second only to economic pressures and inflation, cited by 47.8 percent.

“The survey data reveals a critical disconnect. Four in five residents say the air is hazardous to their health, yet most are forced to rely on their senses rather than science to understand the air they breathe. Six in ten do not know how to check pollution levels,” said Roshani Giri, executive director of Taza Initiative Nepal.

Taza Initiative Nepal, a nonprofit organisation established in 2026, said it plans to expand air quality monitoring, develop accessible data platforms and strengthen air quality literacy programmes across the Valley.

The organisation said its initiatives will focus on making air quality information more accessible and understandable so residents can make informed decisions and participate more meaningfully in efforts to improve the Valley’s air quality.