Stepping onto the streets of Kathmandu without a mask and glasses means exposure to toxic vehicular fumes and dust. Kathmandu was the 5th most polluted city globally, as per Tuesday’s IQAir ranking. Its rapid urbanisation isn’t helping, as the valley is not only saturated with people but also getting filled with private and public vehicles that run on fossil fuels. To make matters worse, most of these vehicles have been running unchecked for years, spewing black smoke that poses serious health risks. According to reports, an average Nepali is losing about five years of life due to air pollution.

Given the situation, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s Environment Department will bar polluting vehicles from the streets next week. In 2017, the Department of Transport Management had planned to enforce vehicle emissions standards throughout the country to address the problem of air pollution. As part of the regulation, the department planned to conduct emissions tests of vehicles from all its 19 offices throughout the country. After repeated delays due to the failure to procure equipment for emission tests, the government decided to enforce the Vehicle Emission Test (VET) in 2018. After the test, all four-wheelers were required to display a green sticker to prove their emissions were within the permissible limits.

Over the years, the green stickers and emission standards became a mere charade in controlling air pollution, as many vehicle owners conveniently bought the stickers over the counter. Further, vehicle owners can also trick the system by lowering fuel levels to show less smoke or only getting their vehicles serviced before the annual pollution test. To address this, the city office started carrying out random on-the-spot emissions tests on January 13 in coordination with the traffic police and the federal Department of Environment and the Department of Transport Management. These tests revealed the alarming reality of transport pollution in Kathmandu. Of around 1,300 vehicles tested, around 80 percent of diesel vehicles—buses, micro-buses and pickup trucks—operating in Kathmandu were found emitting black smoke beyond permissible levels. Likewise, 30 percent of petrol vehicles also failed the test.

At first, the authorities issued warnings to owners whose vehicles failed the test, secured written commitments from them, and later imposed a fine of Rs 1,000. As these measures proved ineffective, their decision to ban them is valid. However, there have been complaints about long queues and insufficient staff to carry out these tests in transport offices. So the authorities must streamline the process as it discourages vehicle owners from following regulations, as many public vehicle owners lose a significant portion of their working hours queuing up.

Although the government intends to ban vehicles older than 20 years throughout the country, it needs to think this through. Many people may struggle to afford a replacement without incentives, and some well-maintained older vehicles might still meet acceptable standards. Further, banning older vehicles may lead to illegal dumping or poor waste management if a proper vehicle scrapping system isn’t in place. In 2021, India launched the Vehicle Scrapping Policy, where the government proposed scrapping incentives and tax benefits for individuals who dispose of their old vehicles and purchase new, cleaner ones. Similar policies can also be introduced in Nepal.

In 2023, 12,000 battery-powered vehicles were imported; however, they were primarily for private usage. The government must establish policies that simplify the process for sellers to bring in EVs and encourage people to buy. Though policy interventions are essential, awareness about air pollution and its impacts can inspire self-driven sustainable actions and behavioural changes. Previous delays in curbing pollution have caused enough damage and risked lives; the government can’t afford to dilly-dally any more.