Open tires burning, environmental pollution and health impact

Open burning of vehicle tires on street is becoming a part of life in Nepal. Even for small events, aggressive mass start putting fire on tires to show their yes or no support and put pressure on government. The question of environmental pollution and health impact of such activities has been raised several times but no one has changed this behavior.

Open tire fire emissions include carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur oxides (SO2), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It also includes hazardous air pollutants such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins, furans, hydrogen chloride, benzene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The tire burning emission also releases heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, nickel, zinc, mercury, chromium, and vanadium. People exposed to such emissions show symptoms of skin, eyes, and mucous membranes irritation, lungs and respiratory problems, central nervous system depression, and cancer. In a long run people may start showing mutagenic effects and higher number of cancer cases. In terms of mutagenic effects, open tire fires emissions are 16 times more dangerous than residential wood burning and 13,000 times than coal-fired emissions.

May be we will start stopping lighting the tires only we experience such effects ourselves but that will be too late to act on. (Information source: http://www.elaw.org/node/2764; Pictures by blogger)

Uncontrolled traffic system of Kathmandu

The traffic system of Kathmandu is really terrible. No matter how safe you drive, you could face accident due to others fault. Road rules are not cared by anyone. Larger vehicles try to dominate small vehicles and so on ultimately making the trouble to pedestrians. Traffic tried to established lane system with concrete slabs but they seems to be obstruction for drive and threat to live during night. Pressure horns are legally not allowed but almost all bus and trucks blow even near hospital and schools areas. Passengers also use bus and truck hoods for 'safe' journey. If driver pay some money to traffic, they don't care punishing them. Haphazard parking and turns are normal at any place and any time.

People can put illegal shops even under bridge obstructing the vehicle movement. Now, the roads are also a place to show all grievances. People demonstrate putting fire on tires on road. The reason could be either road accidents or political regression and/or support. Because of these all huddles, I think you can drive any part of the world if can drive in the street of Kathmandu. Here are some scenes of Kathmandu roads.

Traffic jam due to political demonstration 'Ranke julus'