Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) had proposed four of its major plans for working on the road, building code implementation, maintenance of greenery, and garbage management back in September. KMC left out the plans to repair roads; the plans were working out well in the capital city. KMC will now focus on making Kathmandu pollution free.
The air pollution levels are sky high. To look at pollution levels, Nepal follows the National Ambient Air Quality Standard 2012. It has set the 24-hour limit of PM 2.5 pollutants at 40 µg/m3 and PM 10 at 120µg/m3. This is near twice the WHO limit. Kathmandu Valley’s pollution exceeds both the limits multiple times.
KMC recently mentioned about focusing on road repair more than before as the rapid construction will lead to the minimization of the increasing pollution.
Namaraj Dhakal, the Joint Spokesperson at KMC, stated “We cannot control dust pollution in the city without repairing roads. Considering the ongoing road expansion and pipeline laying work of Melamchi project, we had no other option but to repair the roads as soon as possible. However, KMC will work on other areas soon after roads are repaired.”
KMC has been witnessing the road construction in many areas of the valley. However, the roads less than eight-meter width come under the control of the metropolitan city. The major concern besides the road construction in the capital is the improper management of garbage.
A permanent landfill site to manage waste produced in the Kathmandu Valley is the next venture to be undertaken by the KMC. Unfortunately, not even a temporary landfill site is available at present in the KMC. But sooner or later a landfill site is going to be managed in the capital.
In order to bring the implementation of a building code, a regular inspection is to be carried out at construction sites to make sure that the building has gone under necessary surveillance as per the KMC’s rules. KMC has also decided to plant trees on both sides of the rods, traffic islands and river banks of the city.
With this new action plan of making Kathmandu pollution free will definitely make it easier for people to survive this pollution in the capital.
Reference: Glocal Khabar