KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Health and Population has urged one and all to take precautions stating that the level of air population in the Kathmandu Valley has increased in an alarming rate.

The ministry, hence, has advised people to stay indoors as much as possible warning that it might have a bad impact on the human health.

Issuing a press statement on Tuesday, the ministry advised people in general not to go for morning walk for some days and to properly manage the garbage. Similarly, it has urged people not to incinerate rubbish as the smoke produced by it will further add to the existing pollution.

If people have an urgency to come out of their houses, they have to follow all the COVID-19 health safety measures. The ministry has also urged to close down factories, companies and construction works for some days that produce dust and smoke.

The Kathmandu Valley has been covered in fog for the past three days due to the influence of the westerly winds.

Meanwhile, the air pollution in the Kathmandu has hit a record high ranking number one among the 50 most polluted cities in the world.

The air quality index (AQI) installed at Bhainsepati showed 403 on Monday, the double the index shown the other day.

According to meteorologist Rishi Ram Sharma, the minimum temperature has gone up and the air pollution in the capital has increased excessively high due to the impact of the westerly wind.

The statistics of the Ministry of Forest and Environment has shown excessive increase in the level of pollution of the air quality of the capital. The AQI at Bhainsepati displayed 173 on Sunday, according to the Department of Environment of the ministry.