Soil Dust Major Problem in Rural Roads in Nepal

The rural areas in Nepal badly affected by dust pollution in the air. This air pollution is leading people to serious problems with health. People are facing respiratory and other health problems but responsible units and persons are not paying attention.    

Dusty roads in the rural area

Recently, I started about a 30-kilometer journey from a tourist hob city Pokhara to Deurali village by bus. It was after the rainy season and the day was mild sunny. Although some pitches of clouds were roaming on the northern horizon. The road was graveled of pebbles and soil after the Sisuwa bazaar.  The bus itself started to blow dust on the air in the ratio of its speed. The dust was converted into fog around the bus as its slow speed. Pedestrians were seen covered in fog on the road.  Farmers in the nearest paddy field were also seen as the creatures, floating on the clouds. Bush stopped at the foothill named Fedi village. The bus was covered with a dusty fog like a blanket. In the meantime, I saw that the sunny day was changed into a dusty gloomy day. A passenger sitting closest to me said that it was not unexpected for the peoples of that area.  Comparatively, we were safe on the bus than outsiders. I saw an old man sitting on the front row, was having anti-asthmatic inhaler.  Others were covering their nose and mouth with different types of cloths. I feel it was a very uncomforted and risky trip in the rural area. All trees, plants, and grasses were covered with the dust at the roadside. Ultimately, we arrived destination.

It is a representative scene of rural transportation of Nepal. Nepal is eager to expand road links because people believe that the road link is essential for development. Whenever villagers meet each other, they mostly discussed on-road link. Obviously, it is their dream to achieve development for a better life. Governments also not have different thoughts from the people, especially in this issue. However, it is not a regressive thought but it is not a complete matter. It takes years to pitch the treks and the soil dust affects the environment of villages in the dry season.

 People are not aware of the harms of dust on their health. A woman in Deurali said with a smiling face that it was their daily life to live in dust. She further adds, “Working in the farm to walking on the road, we are not free from dust in the dry season.”  Two years ago I was facing some problems in my respiratory system and went to Western Regional Hospital Pokhara. The doctor was dictating me to avoid a dusty environment. I remember that moment right now.

waiting for eco-friendly development

Polluted air of soil dust not only harms the human being but animals and the vegetations. Medical science says that the soil dust in the air may be irritated eyes, throat, lungs, and skin.  Dust creates Coughing, phlegm production in chest and breathing difficulty leads to long term chronic asthma. According to a world report published in 2017, the number of asthma affected people was 1.4 million. There is an estimate that asthma, long-lasting the disease of the lungs and bronchi that affects 5 people in every 100.  The Global Asthma Report of 2018 informs that asthma killed kills around 1000 people. Around 399 million people were affected in the world during that time. Among the low-income people, the data is raising very rapidly.

 The account published by WHO in 2017, Asthma caused death rate in Nepal is 3317 or 2.03 % of total deaths. Patients from farmers are mostly affected by the dust caused by asthma.

   

 Soil dust is becoming a major air pollution problem in Nepal. The most populated Kathmandu city of Nepal has been badly affected by soil dust. Except for the rainy season, most parts of the city covered in soil dust. The problem is not the cause of sudden natural phenomena but manual. Construction and destruction on the name of development is the main cause of the problem.