KATHMANDU: The government has formed a 'rapid task force' for immediately controlling the air pollution in the Kathmandu valley and for maintaining coordination among the concerned bodies for the same.

The government has formed the rapid task force in view of the increasing level of air pollution in the Kathmandu valley.

The task force was formed following a meeting today convened by the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM). Representatives of the bodies concerned were present in the meeting organized to find ways of reducing the air pollution in the Valley.

The task force comprises Joint Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Narayan Prasad Regmi as the coordinator and the representatives of the Ministries of Environment, and Physical Infrastructure and Transport as well as other related bodies.

Secretary at the OPMCM, Mahendra Man Gurung said the action plan on air pollution control in the Kathmandu Valley prepared by the Ministry of Environment and Population would be immediately approved and forwarded.

He also directed that the vehicle pollution checking system should be made stringent and that the fund collected from pollution tariff be mobilized for pollution controlling measures like purchasing necessary equipments and materials.

According to a study conducted by the Ministry of Environment 10 years ago, Valley's transport system was main reason behind increasing air pollution here.

The study shows that vehicles contribute to some 38 percent for air pollution, while road dust is responsible of around 25 per cent while 11 percent is from burning of agro residues and brick kilns have a role of causing some 11 per cent air pollution.

But the recent study shows that air dust is the main reason for increasing air pollution.

Present in the meeting were Deputy Inspector General of Police of Kathmandu Metropolitan Traffic Division, Sarbendra Khanal; Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Dr Dipendra Raman Singh; Tribhuvan University teacher Ram Prasad Regmi; International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development programme manager Araniko Kumar Pandey; joint secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Rhishiraj Koirala; Melamchi Drinking Water Development Committee executive director Ramchandra Devkota; Kathmandu Metropolitan City's officiating chief Uttar Regmi and Director General of Department of Environment, Durga Prasad Dawadi.