KATHMANDU, Dec 27: When the Department of Environment checked 341 public vehicles from December 2 to December 23, 41 percent of the vehicles failed to meet the emission standard. In the capital city, Kathmandu, emissions from vehicles have been a major factor resulting in air pollution.
From November 16 to December 8, the director general of the department, Namraj Ghimire, started a surprise check in which 143 of the 341 vehicles were found to emit gases more than the prescribed emissions. According to the department, 198 vehicles passed the pollution test. The vehicles tested include diesel-powered public buses, water tankers and microbuses.
Director General Ghimire said that almost half the vehicles failing the pollution test was a matter of concern and added, "This result has inspired us to carry out the test more strictly." Ghimire says that under the leadership of a senior officer of the Department of Environment, a team of 6-7 people is carrying out the pollution test on vehicles. The department under the Ministry of Forestry has already announced that vehicles that do not pass the pollution test after December 16 will be fined up to Rs 100,000. The department made this announcement by publishing a public notice on December 8 According to the department, if the same vehicle repeatedly fails the pollution test, it will have to pay a fine of up to Rs 100,000. A fine of Rs 5,000 has been imposed on vehicles that fail the test for the first time.
Earlier, the vehicles that were polluting more than the specified standards during the emission test were given an opportunity to repair and maintain the condition for once. But the department has banned the vehicles that have not passed the pollution test from December 16 until they meet the standard. Smoke emitted from open burning of garbage is considered as another major cause of pollution in the capital Kathmandu. The department has also requested the general public to inform the department if anyone is seen burning garbage openly in their neighborhood. Focusing on the dust emitted from the roads as another major cause of pollution in Kathmandu, Director General Ghimire said that they are working in coordination with the metropolis to eliminate it.
During winter the levels of air pollution are high in Kathmandu. Emissions from vehicles, dust from roads, smoke from burning garbage, and emissions from brick kilns are the main factors behind air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley.
