Jan 06, Kathmandu- With the extreme cold, air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley has also increased. According to the 'Air Quality Index' (AQI), the air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley today is 205 AQI.

According to environmentalist Bhushan Tuladhar, the chances of air pollution are higher in cold weather than in summer. “In cold weather, the chances of pollution are higher because the air stays on the ground for a long time. As the sun shines during the day and the temperature rises, pollution spreads in the air,” he said. Apart from that, he said, the habit of burning garbage, tires and firewood in cold weather also contributes to increasing pollution.

According to the AQI, Kathmandu Valley is now the fifth most polluted city in the world. Lahore, Pakistan, tops the list. Lahore's AQI is 341 AQI.

Kolkata, India, is in second place with an AQI of 248, and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, is in third place with an AQI of 238. New Delhi, India, is in fourth place with an AQI of 227 AQI.