KATHMANDU, Jan 17: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) has urged the public to maintain their vehicles in good condition, citing high pollution levels in the city.
Taking to Facebook on Friday morning, Mayor Balen said that the level of pollution is quite high in the city. He has urged the public to repair their vehicles if they are not in good condition.
“We have been conducting pollution checks for vehicles in cooperation with the traffic police,” Balen wrote on Facebook, “The metropolis has issued the Environment and Natural Resource Act 2077, Pollution Control Standards 2081, and the Waste Collection and Transportation Procedure 2081 for environmental improvement.”
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He further said that the standards include separate indicators for petrol-powered vehicles, diesel-powered vehicles, and construction periods. The maximum carbon monoxide level should be 4.5 percent (by volume) for vehicles manufactured until 1980. Similarly, for vehicles manufactured in 1981 or later, the maximum carbon monoxide level should be 3 percent (by volume).
“In the case of three-wheelers, the maximum carbon monoxide content of vehicles produced up to 1991 should be 4.5 percent (by volume). In the case of two-wheelers, the amount of carbon monoxide should be a maximum of 4.5 percent (by volume),” Mayor Balen further wrote.
He further said that for all types of diesel vehicles produced up to 1994, the vehicle smoke density must be a maximum of 75 Hartridge Smoke Unit (HSU). For vehicles manufactured in 1995 or later, the smoke density of the vehicle must be a maximum of 65 Hartridge Smoke Unit (HSU).
He said that during the inspection, if the smoke emission by any vehicle is found to be higher than the specified levels, then the pollution is outside the standard.
