Prolonged Suspension of Emission Testing Sparks Concerns
Kathmandu, Nov. 7 – The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has yet to resume emission testing for polluting vehicles, both private and public, a process that was suspended in mid-July. This prolonged halt of pollution control measures has raised serious concerns, especially as the dry season has already begun. During this time, Kathmandu typically experiences a sharp increase in air pollution, with the air quality index reaching hazardous levels.
Officials have stated that emission testing cannot be carried out without the assistance of a mechanical engineer, whose contract expired at the end of the previous fiscal year. “We will resume testing once we hire a new engineer,” said Jagatman Shrestha, traffic expert adviser at the Kathmandu Metropolitan City office. “We have already started the process to hire an engineer.”
Random on-the-spot emission testing of vehicles has long been part of the metropolis’ strategy to address growing air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley. Nepal’s air quality often reaches hazardous levels several times a year, and the capital city frequently becomes the world’s most polluted metropolis.
The city office initiated emission testing on January 13 in coordination with the traffic police and the federal Department of Environment and the Department of Transport Management. The tests revealed that around 80 percent of diesel-fueled vehicles—buses, micro-buses, and tata pick-up trucks—on Kathmandu’s roads emitted black smoke beyond permissible levels. Similarly, about 30 percent of petrol vehicles—cars and motorcycles—also failed the tests.
“The crackdown on polluting vehicles had shifted vehicle owners’ attitudes towards engine maintenance,” Shrestha said. “After repeated warnings and fines, the percentage of polluting diesel vehicles had lessened to 60 percent and petrol vehicles to 10 percent.”
The metropolis conducted emission testing on over 3,000 vehicles on a random basis. Although vehicle emission testing is primarily the responsibility of federal agencies, the constitution also mandates local governments to take measures to reduce pollution, according to officials.
The metropolis has developed pollution control guidelines as per the KMC Environment and Natural Resources Protection Act-2021. In the initial stage, the metropolis carried out testing to raise awareness among drivers. It also warned drivers and owners to maintain their vehicle engines to avoid fines and legal action, and obtained written commitments from vehicles that failed initial tests. Later, it imposed Rs1,000 fines on drivers of polluting vehicles for ignoring these warnings.
Metropolis officials note that more problems have been found in vehicles older than 20 years. The government has repeatedly announced its intention to ban vehicles older than 20 years nationwide to reduce traffic congestion, air pollution, and road accidents caused by old vehicles. However, this decision has not yet been implemented.
Additional Measures to Combat Pollution
Meanwhile, the Environment Department under the City Office announced plans to enforce a ban on waste burning within its jurisdiction. “We will issue a public notice [against waste burning] soon and take action if anyone is found violating our instructions,” said Sarita Rai, chief of the department. “We will also request other local governments in the Valley to prohibit waste burning.”
Burning of waste in open areas is one of the main causes of deteriorating air quality in the Valley, according to environment experts. Reports of waste-burning incidents have increased in recent times.
A study on waste burning estimated that municipalities in the Valley burn approximately 7,400 tonnes of waste annually, or 20 tonnes per day—three percent of the total waste produced.
Other major sources of air pollution in the Valley include emissions from vehicles, industries, brick kilns, road upgrade projects, and the construction sector. Geographical factors also contribute to the problem, experts say.