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Air pollution of Kathmandu Valley has increased following the forest fires that occurred across the country for the past few days.

Based on the Air Quality Index (AQI), Kathmandu has been ranked as the topmost polluted city globally this afternoon, recording an AQI of 200.

Deputy Director General of the Department of Environment, Tara Dutta Bhatta, said there is an effect of forest fires in the air of different cities including Kathmandu.

"The air pollution of Kathmandu had also increased a few weeks ago. It becomes more polluted today," he mentioned, adding the air pollution would increase until forest fire comes under control.

Similarly, Disaster Management expert Dr Dharma Raj Upreti, said an AQI value of up to 50 is considered good while 51-100 moderate, 100-150 unhealthy and it is highly hazardous if measured 150-200.

Likewise, AQI value from 201 to 300 is considered very unhealthy while 300-400 dangerous and 401-450 very dangerous.  

Air Quality Management Action Plan for Kathmandu Valley, 2076, reads that an AQI of more than 300 is considered as a disaster. It has been mentioned in the action plan not to burn garbage, to increase the use of brooms and vacuums to clean the roads to stop such type of disaster as well as to issue public notices to children, senior citizens and patients to take special precautions.

In the National Environment Policy, 2076 BS, it is mentioned that national standards related to prevention of water, air, soil, sound, electricity, magnetic waves, radioactive radiation, and hazardous chemical pollution will be prepared and implemented in order to reduce pollution.

According to the strategy, air, water and sound quality will be mapped by establishing and operating quality measurement centers in areas at risk of pollution including major cities and industrial areas.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged diplomatic missions in Nepal and the development partners to make the Nepal Investment Summit 2024 a success. The government is organizing the Summit on the 28th and 29th of this month.

Addressing the meeting of diplomatic missions and development partners in Nepal organized at Singha Durbar today, Prime Minister said the role of development partners and diplomatic missions in Nepal is important to establish Nepal as the destination of investment.

"We expect active participation in investment summit as well as support of development partners", he shared.

Stating that projects of province and local governments have given equal priority along with ministries of federal government, the Prime Minister clarified that the government is committed to ensure the environment to revise laws in order to create investment-friendly environment, procedural reforms and not to allow any obstruction for investors during project period. 

"The summit will provide a platform to connect Nepali production and service to the global market as well as make stakeholders including investors, development partners and financial institutions easy to unite, to seek opportunity and to promote long-term partnership," he said.

The government of Nepal was ready to provide any type of support needed to incumbent and possible investors, he underscored.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 9.19 points to close at 2,036.01 points on Tuesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 0.75 points to close at 360. 15 points.

A total of 9,789,416-unit shares of 315 companies were traded for Rs 4. 14 billion.

Meanwhile, Janaki Finance Company Limited (JFL) was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Wean Nepal Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (WNLB) was the top loser as its price fell by 10.00 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 22 trillion.

Police fired tear gas and water cannon after the Rastriya Prajatantra Party cadres attempted to breach the restricted area in Singha Durbar on Tuesday.

The demonstrators and police clashed for some time.

Police have also arrested some demonstrators.

The Rastriya Prajatantra Party staged a demonstration in Kathmandu this afternoon demanding abolition of federalism, secularism along with the restoration of constitutional monarchy.

The party had announced a protest handing over a 40-point to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

A meeting of the House of Representatives has been postponed by pasting a notice after the main opposition Nepali Congress refused to end obstruction in the House proceedings.

Earlier, the meeting was postponed for 15 minutes following the obstruction of the Nepali Congress.

The Congress has been demanding formation of a parliamentary probe committee to investigate cooperative fraud charges against Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Rabi Lamichhane.

The party has been taking a stand that it would not allow Home Minister Lamichhane to take to the rostrum until the demands are met.

According to the agenda of the House of Representatives meeting, Home Minister Lamichhane was presenting the amended bill to political parties today.

The meeting was postponed after the Nepali Congress lawmakers did not allow the home minister to go to the rostrum.

After the postponement of the meeting, Speaker Devraj Ghimire held a meeting with the Chief Whips of the major political parties.

The meeting has been postponed till 11 am tomorrow.

Bimala Ghimire of the CPN-UML and Bishnu Devi Pudasaini of the Nepali Congress filed their nominations for the post of National Assembly vice-chairperson on Tuesday.

They filed their candidacies at the Lhotse Hall of the federal Parliament building for the election of the upper house vice-chair to be held on Wednesday.

The UML had already decided to field Ghimire as its candidate for the election to the National Assembly vice-chair. She has the support of the ruling alliance.

Meanwhile, a Congress Parliamentary Work Execution Committee meeting held on Tuesday morning had decided to pick Pudasaini as the party candidate for the election.

Pudasaini was elected as a National Assembly member from Bagmati Province.

According to the Secretariat, the filing of nominations will be held from 11:45 am to 1:45 pm.

The post remained vacant after Urmila Aryal, who was elected as the National Assembly vice-chair unopposed on January 17, 2023, tendered her resignation on March 28.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 100 per tola in the domestic market on Tuesday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 136, 300 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 136, 200 per tola on Monday.

Similarly, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 135,650 per tola today against Rs 135,550 on Monday.

Meanwhile, the silver is being traded at Rs 1, 685 per tola.

The Nepali Congress has decided to field Bishu Devi Pudasaini as its candidate for the post of National Assembly vice-chair.

A Parliamentary Party meeting held this morning made the decision to this effect.

Pudasaini, who became a common candidate from the then Congress-Maoist alliance, was elected from Bagmati Province.

The filing of nominations will be held at the Lhotse Hall of the federal Parliament building today for the election of National Assembly vice-chair scheduled for Wednesday, the Parliament Secretariat said.

According to the Secretariat, the filing of nominations will be held from 11:45 am to 1:45 pm.

Urmila Aryal, who was elected as the National Assembly vice-chair unopposed on January 17, 2023, resigned from the post on March 28.