Thanks to pleasant weather conditions, the Kathmandu Valley is currently more liveable in terms of weather than the southern plain districts. While a cool wave is blowing across the plains, Kathmandu—though slightly cold—benefits from bright sunshine throughout the day, making the chill easier to bear. Yet pollution continues to take a toll on public health. On December 22, a daytime pollution test conducted in Kirtipur, Kathmandu, found 50 vehicles emitting smoke above permissible limits, leading to enforcement action. Alarmingly, out of just 59 vehicles inspected, as many as 50 failed to meet emission standards. The inspection was carried out by a joint team from the Department of Environment, Babarmahal and the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office. Similarly, during a spot pollution check conducted on Monday afternoon this week along the Airport Gate road section in Kathmandu, 32 vehicles were penalised for excessive emissions. Of the 56 vehicles inspected, 32 were found to be emitting smoke beyond prescribed limits. The Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police (KVTP) Office regularly publicises such inspections and their results through its official Facebook page. The KVTP has also been urging drivers to ensure their vehicles are properly maintained, warning that operating vehicles emitting excessive smoke not only worsens air pollution and poses serious risks to human health but also increases the likelihood of accidents. This initiative is commendable. However, sporadic enforcement alone is clearly insufficient.
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The findings from these spot checks point to a far more serious and systemic problem. They indicate that a large proportion of vehicles plying the roads emit pollutants well above acceptable standards. Toxic emissions from these vehicles are a major contributor to air pollution in the capital. Pollutants such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, non-methane hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter not only contaminate the valley’s atmosphere but also pose a grave threat to public health. These realities demand stronger, more consistent regulatory action rather than occasional checks. Nepal has recently adopted the Euro-6 emission standard. Long under debate, the standard was formally implemented by the government in June through the enforcement of the Nepal Vehicle Emission Standards 2025. The Ministry of Forests and Environment has already published the new standard in the Nepal Gazette, replacing the Euro-3 standard that had been in place since 2012. Nepal first introduced vehicle emission standards equivalent to Euro-1 in 1999, later revising them in 2012 to adopt Euro-3. Although the government had announced a transition to Euro-4 within two years, Euro-3 remained in force for more than a decade. Under the new standards implemented since June, Euro-5 testing methods apply to two-wheelers, three-wheelers and light four-wheel vehicles, while at least Euro-6 standards apply to heavy four-wheel vehicles.
Considering that neighbouring India implemented Euro-6 standards in April 2020, Nepal’s adoption comes five years later. Even so, it is a positive step. Experts say vehicles meeting Euro-6 standards emit only about 1 percent carbon dioxide and 0.06 percent nitrogen oxides. The objective of Euro-6 is clear: to reduce pollution, ensure cleaner air and protect public health, while promoting higher fuel efficiency and environmentally friendly technologies. In recent years, the use of electric vehicles in Nepal has increased significantly, but large-scale adoption in public transport remains limited. While Sajha Yatayat has introduced electric buses on Kathmandu’s roads, this effort must be expanded. Private-sector operators of large buses should also be encouraged—and compelled—to transition to electric alternatives. Although the Nepal Vehicle Emission Standards 2025 adopt Euro-6 norms, emissions from the large number of vehicles currently on the roads remain a pressing challenge. This makes it imperative for authorities to step up regular, rigorous vehicle inspections and ensure strict compliance with government guidelines. Equally, vehicle owners must recognise their responsibility: timely servicing and proper maintenance are not optional but civic duties. Given that the Kathmandu Valley faces a high pollution risk, consistent enforcement by authorities and responsible behaviour by citizens together can meaningfully reduce the capital’s pollution burden.
