Most public vehicles in Valley fail pollution test

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Dec.2: Most of the public vehicles plying Kathmandu Valley roads have failed to maintain Vehicle Emission Testing (VET). 

It was found that most of the vehicles tested failed a pollution test on Friday that was conducted by the Department of Environment, Metropolitan Traffic Police, and Transport Management Department in Babarmahal. 

 38 out of the total 54 public vehicles have failed to meet the test.

Nama Raj Ghimire, Director General of the Department of the Environment said, 'Time is given to vehicles that failed the test today to repair and operate by maintaining the standard.' 

He said that paperwork will be handed to the owner of the vehicle only if the vehicle will pass the Vehicle Emission Testing (VET) again. Vehicles that have failed the test can come again to the department for the VET test after repair and maintenance and can run vehicles after passing the test. 

He said, “We checked whether the smoke emitting from the public vehicles is up to the par standard or not as per the Environment Protection Act, 2019.” 

This campaign has been started as the air pollution level and vehicles emitting smoke are at an all-time high during the winter season. 

He said that if vehicles are found to have been operating without meeting the standard will face the consequences.