KATHMANDU, Jan 11: A total of 47 percent vehicles booked by the government authorities for failing to meet the air pollution standard were also found plying the roads of Kathmandu Valley without meeting the minimum required standards set by the Department of Transportation Management (DoTM).
A monitoring team assigned to inspect the vehicles took action against 411 vehicles between December 28 to January 9 in the Valley, according to the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM).
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“Among the 411 vehicles, 194 (47 percent) were operating without meeting the set criteria,” said the statement issued by OPMCM on Wednesday.
The government has initiated pollution check of vehicles in the Valley recently to ensure that the environmental pollution remains under control. A meeting chaired by OPMCM Secretary Mahendra Man Gurung on Wednesday decided to give continuity to the ongoing pollution check of vehicles.
The meeting also decided to expedite the process of procuring 40 pollution checking equipment by the DoTM and its effective use to minimize pollution.
Similarly, other decisions taken by the meeting includes publishing the status of brick kilns inside and outside the Kathmandu Valley; making monitoring effective; directing the Ministry or Federal Affairs and Local Development to restrict open burning of waste materials by the metropolitan and municipal offices; and publishing pollution data and info graphics.
Likewise, the meeting has also instructed the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport to amend the vehicle pollution control standards within 15 days.
Another noteworthy decision taken by the meeting is to get rid of the dust pollution in the Valley by adopting alternative measures to blacktop the roads damaged by the Melamchi Water Supply Project at a time when the project itself has delayed its responsibilities citing difficulties to expedite the works during winter.
