KATHMANDU: Balendra Shah (Balen), the mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), has urged citizens to keep their cars in good operating order, highlighting the pressing need to lower the city's high pollution levels. He asked car owners to fix any improperly maintained vehicles and issued a warning that air pollution in Kathmandu had reached unsafe levels in a Facebook post.

KMC actively conducts vehicle pollution checks in cooperation with traffic police as part of its environmental preservation initiatives, said Mayor Balen. According to him, the city has implemented several regulations, including the Waste Collection and Transportation Procedure 2081, the Pollution Control Standards 2081, and the Environment and Natural Resource Act 2077, to enhance environmental circumstances.

Certain emission indicators for cars are provided by the laws based on the fuel type and the year of manufacturing. Cars manufactured in 1981 or later must limit their carbon monoxide emissions to 3% by volume, whereas gasoline-powered vehicles manufactured before 1980 are allowed to have emissions of no more than 4.5% by volume.

Both two-wheelers and three-wheelers are covered by the rules. The maximum allowable carbon monoxide content for two-wheelers of any production year and three-wheelers manufactured before 1991 is 4.5% by volume. Mayor Balen emphasized that these actions are necessary to control the pollution that smaller cars produce.

There are also established guidelines for the smoke density of diesel vehicles. Vehicles manufactured prior to 1994 are required to have a smoke density of no more than 75 Hartridge Smoke Units (HSU). In the meantime, the permissible smoke density is lowered to a maximum of 65 HSU for those produced after 1995.

During inspections, Mayor Balen stressed that cars that emit more pollutants than allowed are regarded as contributing to the environmental problem. This is a major obstacle to enhancing the city's air quality.

As part of a broader plan to combat environmental degradation in Kathmandu, the mayor is enacting vehicle emission limits. These recommendations are part of a broader plan to reduce pollution and enhance public health.

KMC seeks to balance the needs of urbanization with sustainability by fostering a cleaner and healthier environment for the city's citizens through public collaboration and rigorous adherence to these standards.