KATHMANDU: In a recent pollution test conducted by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), 174 out of 292 vehicles failed to meet the required pollution standards. This alarming figure accounts for 60% of the total vehicles tested.
Of the vehicles tested, 14 out of 71 petrol-powered vehicles and 160 out of 221 diesel-powered vehicles were deemed non-compliant. The tests were conducted as per the Environment and Natural Resources Act, 2020, the Pollution Control Standards, 2024, and the Waste Collection and Transportation Procedure, 2024.
KMC Assistant Spokesperson Dhurba Kumar Kafle highlighted the city’s commitment to reducing vehicular pollution.
“Vehicle owners whose vehicles failed the test have been instructed to repair them and operate within the prescribed standards,” Kafle said.
KMC plans to gradually take action against non-compliant vehicles if they fail to meet the criteria after being given an opportunity to improve. The initiative, launched on January 13, also includes an awareness campaign aimed at encouraging compliance.
The tests have been conducted at key locations, including Koteshwor, Durbar Marg, Chakrapath, Balkhu, Babarmahal, Teku, Sukedhara, Sinamangal, Panipokhari, and Jamal. Vehicles that failed include public buses, school buses, government jeeps, and trucks.
The pollution testing is being carried out by KMC’s Department of Environment Management in collaboration with the Department of Environment, the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, and the Metropolitan Police Force.
The initiative underscores the growing urgency to address air quality in Kathmandu, where vehicular emissions are a major contributor to pollution levels. The authorities aim to enforce stricter compliance to reduce the environmental impact of vehicular pollution.
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