The air pollution in Kathmandu Valley is ever increasing. Rapid unmanaged urbanization in the capital city has resulted in a significant deterioration of air quality. The vehicular emissions, poorly managed vehicle, re-suspension of street dust and litter, black smoke plumes from brick kilns, and refuse burning are other sources contributing to increased air pollution in the valley. According to International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) 2006, vehicular emissions are responsible for 38% of the total PM10 emitted in the Kathmandu compared to the agricultural sector (18%) and the brick kilns (11%). The increase in vehicular emissions is mainly due to increase in the number of automobiles, poor transport management system, and lack of vehicle maintenance among the drivers. Kathmandu in the dark on the way to the hotel from the airport had been hard to evaluate, beyond the obvious: people were poor. Millions. And the air stank and didn't go down easily into the lungs. It was as bad or worse than the air I breathed in New York City right after 9/11. I had fled from post-World Trade Centre attack air, because I couldn't inhale it, and I believed it would do serious damage to my children's health. And people here were much breathing worse, like it was normal. They were stuck in it.
