Government to ease vehicle import soon

KATHMANDU, OCT 15: 

The government will ease vehicle imports, correcting some technical mistakes in the emission standard after it adopted the Nepal Vehicle Emission Standard III (NVES-III) on August 13. The standard is popularly known as Euro III among Nepalis. 

The Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology –– concerned ministry –– has made a correction to the standard. “There were some technical mistakes and we are rectifying them,” said under secretary of the ministry of environment, science and technology Rajendra Kharel in a programme today. “It will ease the import of vehicles.” 

About 2,000 vehicles — from buses, trucks to small cars — have been stranded at customs points for the last two months due to the new emission standard. 

The problem arose because of technical mistakes in its publication in Nepal Gazette. 

“All concerned people have agreed to the standard, so there will not be any problem in implementing it after the mistakes are rectified,” said Kharel. According to him, due to the absence of arithmetic signs like plus, minus, and equal in the standard, it confused customs authority in allowing the import of vehicles with Indian emission standards — Bharat Stage III and IV.

Nepal Automobile Dealers’ Association said that it will welcome the decision. 

“We are not against Nepal Vehicle Emission Standard III, but it should not create a hurdle in the import of vehicles,” said vice-president of the association Shekhar Golchha. 

Nepal Vehicle Emission Standard III is a 21st century standard that permits low emission in vehicles. For example, dust particles emitted by vehicles should not be more than 0.5 per cent. Similarly, the standard seeks low carbon and sulphur emission. Consumer activists had urged the government to be strict about the vehicle emission standard. 

“The government must enforce Nepal Vehicle Emission Standard III, but at the same time it must not discourage Nepali traders and entrepreneurs,” said the president of National Consumer Forum Premlal Maharjan. People prefer mass transportation and not small cars because they cannot afford private vehicles, he added. 

The country lacks an efficient mass transport system, so people are attracted towards smaller vehicles for commuting, said minister for physical planning, works and labour management Hridayes Tripathi. 

“Therefore, the government is planning to introduce a mass transport system for Kathmandu valley,” Tripathi said, adding that the government has been studying the possibility of operating a metro rail system in Kathmandu.

Source: THT