Kathmandu, Kartik 19 – Kathmandu Metropolitan City has warned that vehicles emitting smoke beyond prescribed standards and people openly burning plastic or other waste could face legal action, as the city prepares for worsening air pollution during the winter season.
The Metropolitan City’s Environment Management Department issued an urgent notice identifying vehicle emissions, construction dust, industrial smoke and open waste burning as major contributors to air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley. Pollution generally becomes more severe during winter because colder conditions make it harder for pollutants to disperse.
Vehicle owners have been instructed to ensure that their vehicles remain within the prescribed emission standards and to carry out regular maintenance to reduce excessive smoke. Kathmandu Metropolitan City has warned that vehicles operating beyond those standards can be brought under legal action.
The notice also prohibits the open burning of plastic and other waste. Residents and businesses are therefore required to dispose of waste through appropriate waste-management systems rather than burning it in open spaces, which directly contributes to harmful air pollution.
Construction companies and individuals carrying out construction work have also been instructed not to store construction materials on roads or footpaths and to control dust while transporting, loading and unloading materials. These requirements are aimed at reducing another major source of particulate pollution within the city.
Similarly, industries, factories and hospitals operating within Kathmandu have been directed to comply with the Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s pollution-control standards. They must maintain emissions within prescribed limits and use appropriate pollution-control equipment where required.
The warning comes amid continuing concern over vehicle pollution in the capital. Previous emission testing conducted by Kathmandu Metropolitan City found a significant number of tested vehicles failing to meet pollution standards, highlighting the gap between existing requirements and actual compliance.
The Metropolitan City has also advised people, particularly children, senior citizens and individuals with respiratory or chronic illnesses, to take additional precautions during periods of poor air quality and use masks when necessary.
The notice makes clear that pollution-control rules are not limited to government or large industries. Individual vehicle owners, construction operators, businesses and ordinary residents can all be subject to environmental requirements, particularly when their activities contribute directly to air pollution.
Source: OnlineKhabar
