KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 8
The Department of Environment under the Ministry of Forests and Environment has warned that any one could be penalised with a fine not exceeding Rs 100,000 beginning December 16 in Kathmandu valley if his or her vehicle, both four-wheeler and two-wheeler, fails emission test during surprise check.
Issuing a public notice today, the department appealed to all to take their vehicles to the road only with emission clearance from the Transport Management Office after necessary repair and maintenance that keeps emission level within permissible limits. "Even vehicles with validity period of their green sticker will be subjected to emission test on the road and face penalties if they fail to passing the test," the notice reads. Similarly, traffic police will detail such vehicles for further action.
The Environment Protection Act, 2019 empowers the director general of the department to impose a fine up to Rs 100,000 on polluters depending on the gravity of cases. Section 21 of the act says, "The Government of Nepal may, through a notification in the Nepal Gazette, issue necessary order requiring precautions with a view to protect the environment.
The director general of the department may impose a fine not exceeding Rs 100,00 on a person or agency that violates that order."
Air pollution often worsens during winter due to open burning of waste and firewood coupled with excessive vehicular emission, and formation of a thick layer of smog in the atmosphere.
Thick smog blocks the sunlight and the decreased temperature traps cold air, with small pollutants at the lower level. This can be cleared and washed away by rainfall only.
More than 75 per cent vehicles failed the emission test conducted by the department together with traffic police in Kathmandu recently.
As per the vehicle emission standards implemented by the government, permissible level for four-wheelers registered in Nepal in or before 1980 is maximum 4.5 per cent of carbon monoxide of the total emission and maximum 1,000 parts per million hydrocarbon concentration.
Four-wheelers registered in the country after 1981 should not emit CO exceeding three per cent of the total emission and their ppm hydrocarbon emission is required to remain below 1,000.
Two-wheelers are not permitted to emit CO exceeding 4.5 per cent of the total emission while their ppm hydrocarbon should be below 7,800.
A version of this article appears in the print on December 9, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
