New Delhi, April 4 -- Kathmandu valley residents endured dangerously high air pollution levels this week, with new data revealing that 75 out of the past 90 days had unhealthy or hazardous air quality.

Experts from International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) have pointed towards rampant pre-monsoon forest fires, worsened by drought conditions, as the primary cause.

On April 3, Nepal's Air Quality Monitoring dashboard recorded alarming Air Quality Index (AQI) readings: 365 in Bhaktapur, 273 in Shankhapark, 248 in Ratnapark, and 235 in both Bhaisepati and Khumaltar - far exceeding safe limits.

Forest fires and stagnant air worsen crisis Sagar Adhikari, an air pollution analyst at the ICIMOD, linked the spike to wide...