Kathmandu, January 7:

Minister of State for Labour and Transport Management, Rabindra Khanal, today said electric vehicle owners should think beyond safa tempos.

Address the fifth convention of Clean Locomotives Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal (CLEAN) Khanal also requested the entrepreneurs to unite in operating the East-West electric railway that the government has been planning.

“We need to come up with a united effort to make our dreams come true,” he said, appreciating the performance of the electric vehicle entrepreneurs. He further said traffic in the valley would come to a halt within the next five years if people do not work towards managing the ever increasing number of vehicles.

Bibek Chapagain, the in-country coordinatior of the Kathmandu Electric Vehicles Alliance (KEVA) said experts have expected a hike in the price of fossil fuel from $60 a barrel to $250 in the future, which will bring chaos in our economy. “Therefore it is essential to promote Former president of CLEAN, Devi Prasad Limbu, said he now regrets selling his electric vehicles. Former presidents, including Limbu, accused the government of not cooperating to promote the use of EVs during their time.

“The EV business is now a successful one,” said presient Lal Bahadur Ghising, adding, “Our present and the future is bright. We have developed skilled manpower. We now can compete with vehicles run by fossil fuel as its price is ever-increasing.” He, however, said the government should provide concessions in electricity tarriffs during night time. “We now lead the whole nation towards electric-transportation,” he said.

Presenting his progress report, General Secretary Shankar Prasad Pokhrel said CLEAN has taken steps to form a federation of EV entrepreneurs as the government did not listen to their woes.

In the programme, he felicitated seven people for their contribution in promoting the use of electric vehicles,” he said.

electric vehicles in Nepal. Former presidents of CLEAN Subash Shrestha and Devi Prasad Limbu, its founder president Narayan Prasad Sharma, mechanic Ram-esh Man Singh and drivers Sangeeta Sthapit Gyan B Tamang and Bibek Chapagain were also awarded letters of appreciation.