Kathmandu, April 25

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has begun sprinkling water on city roads to control dust pollution since last night.

KMC took the initiative as air pollution is getting worse in the Valley due to delay in repairing roads dug up for laying water pipelines. KMC said it would clean the roads with water where the Melamchi Drinking Water Project has completed pipe installation and repaired the roads, while it would sprinkle water on roads where the work is ongoing.

KMC Spokesperson Gyanendra Karki said the roads would be cleaned regularly. “Tentatively, we have set three hours from 9:00pm for cleaning the roads in view of the heavy traffic movement during the daytime.” He also said that although KMC had begun cleaning the roads with four tankers, two fire engines and two Jet machines, the move would be continued to tackle increasing dust pollution.

Karki informed that Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited has assured of providing additional four to five tankers to the KMC for the road cleaning drive. He also said that KMC was in the processing of procuring road broomers to make the campaign effective.

Last month, newly appointed Executive Officer of KMC Eshor Raj Poudel disclosing his action plan had proposed to buy 10 road broomers to clean dusty roads in Kathmandu.

According to the new action, garbage collection should be carried out before sunrise.

Meanwhile, Project Implementation Directorate of KMC said two to five tankers were being used daily to sprinkle water on roads to control dust pollution caused by the Melamchi project. The Melamchi project has been laying pipelines on busy roads during night time to minimise inconvenience to traffic movement.