KATHMANDU, Dec 3: Most of the public vehicles in the Kathmandu Valley have failed the pollution test. On Friday, a team comprising members of the Department of Environment, the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division and the Department of Transport Management conducted pollution test of vehicles at Babarmahal in Kathmandu.

According to the department, most of the tested vehicles failed the pollution test. Among 54 vehicles tested for pollution by the department, 38 vehicles were found to be running in conditions below the prescribed standards.

Director General of the Department of Environment, Namraj Ghimire, said that those who failed the pollution test were given time to repair their vehicles and operate them after passing the test. The documents of the vehicles that failed the test have been confiscated. Director General Ghimire said that those who fail the pollution test will get back their documents only after they pass the pollution test while they come to the department for re-testing.

He warned that if the vehicles fail the test again, they will be fined up to Rs 100,000 in accordance with Sub-section 2 of Section 41 of the Environment Protection Act 2076.

Director General Ghimire said that the department will not hesitate to take action if the vehicles that fail the pollution test are found being driven on the roads. He asked drivers not to take this issue lightly.

"We checked whether the vehicles are polluting the air within the prescribed limit set by the Environment Protection Act or not,” said Ghimire, adding, “We have started this campaign because the air pollution in many places including the Kathmandu Valley increases during winter, and one of the contributing factors is the vehicles that lack proper maintenance.”

Besides pollution, the traffic police are also checking the mechanical condition and documents of the vehicles. According to existing laws, every vehicle used for rental service must undergo a technical inspection every six months.

There is a mandatory provision of undertaking such inspection at the DoTM office. Which means that every vehicle used for rental service needs to carry a pollution test report every six months. Likewise, small and medium-sized vehicles should undergo such a check once a year. The route permits of the vehicles will be suspended until they pass the test.

 
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