Login

Forget Password?
Login With Facebook
Don't Have An Account? Sign Up

Sign Up

Already Have An Account? Login
Read Our Privacy Policy
Back to Login
  • National
  • Politics
  • Valley
  • Opinion
  • Money
  • Sports
  • Culture & Lifestyle

  • National
    • Madhesh Province
    • Lumbini Province
    • Bagmati Province
    • National Security
    • Koshi Province
    • Gandaki Province
    • Karnali Province
    • Sudurpaschim Province
  • Politics
  • Valley
    • Kathmandu
    • Lalitpur
    • Bhaktapur
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • As it is
    • Letters
    • Editorial
    • Cartoon
  • Money
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • International Sports
  • Culture & Lifestyle
    • Arts
    • Brunch with the Post
    • Movies
    • Life & Style
    • Theater
    • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Fashion
  • Health
  • Food
    • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Investigations
  • Climate & Environment
  • World
  • Science & Technology
  • Interviews
  • Visual Stories
  • Crosswords & Sudoku
  • Horoscope
  • Forex
  • Corrections
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Today's ePaper
Saturday, August 16, 2025

Without Fear or FavourUNWIND IN STYLE

24.53°C Kathmandu
Air Quality in Kathmandu: 50
300+Hazardous
0-50Good
51-100Moderate
101-150Unhealty for Sensitive Groups
151-200Unhealthy
201-300Very Unhealthy
Sat, Aug 16, 2025
24.53°C Kathmandu
Air Quality in Kathmandu: 50
  • What's News :

  • Death caused by dengue
  • Alcohol poisoning kills Nepalis
  • Nepali AI policy
  • Mass judge transfer
  • Book review
  • Miss Nepal

National

Fund meant for fighting air pollution unused

Even as the worsening air quality poses a major health risk to people in major cities, especially Kathmandu Valley, more than Rs4.2 billion that the government has collected in taxes for fighting the menace has been sitting idle. Fund meant for fighting air pollution unused
bookmark
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • Whatsapp
  • mail
Chandan Kumar Mandal
Published at : December 31, 2017
Updated at : December 31, 2017 13:15
Kathmandu

Even as the worsening air quality poses a major health risk to people in major cities, especially Kathmandu Valley, more than Rs4.2 billion that the government has collected in taxes for fighting the menace has been sitting idle. 

Since 2007, the government has been charging 50 paisa per litre on diesel and petrol with the objective to spend that on programmes and activities aimed at tackling air pollution in the Valley. But the fund has remained idle at the Ministry of Finance for nearly a decade now.

Environmentalists rue government’s inability to use the fund for which it was 

collected. 

“Countries around the world have recently started collecting such taxes. It’s been a long time since we have taken such initiative. But sadly, we have not been able to put the available resources to good use,” said Manjeet Dhakal, environmentalist and climate change expert. “The lack of coordination and understanding the seriousness of the pollution issue is a major factor behind the money still left unutilised.” 

The Department of Environment (DoE), one of government bodies responsible for overseeing air pollution in the country, admits the failure to use the fund for dealing with pollution. 

“The collected tax should be spent only on programmes related to mitigating air pollution. However due to the lack of proper mechanism, it is far from clear as to who should spending the fund and how,” said Durga Prasad Dawadi, director general of the DoE. 

Dawadi also conceded that the department has not been able to spend its annual budget because of limited human resources. 

“We are short of hands. Only having funds would count for nothing until we have the required number of staff,” said Dawadi, pointing out that the department has been unable even to spend the allocated budget. He also shared the limited manpower has made it difficult for the department to operate the existing air quality monitoring stations. 

However, experts believe the money can be used in various sectors to improve Valley’s air quality, which has been worsening in recent time. 

“The major cause of air pollution in Kathmandu Valley has been dust emanating from roads and vehicle emission,” Dhakal said, suggesting that the fund should be used for improving condition of the roads, buying electric public vehicles, setting up charging stations in different parts of the Valley, promoting use of bicycles by building cycle lanes, among others. “Taking such measures will go a long way in our fight to reduce carbon emission, the main agent responsible for climate change.”


Chandan Kumar Mandal

Chandan Kumar Mandal was the environment and migration reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering labour migration and governance, as well as climate change, natural disasters, and wildlife.


Related News

Silk Group chair among 12 charged in multi-billion rupee vape smuggling case
Babai Irrigation Project brings water to over 27,000 hectares
Judicial Council transfers judges in bulk
At least 10 Nepalis dead in Kuwait from toxic alcohol
BP Highway to be closed at night until August-end
Five new Bagmati ministers sworn-in

Most Read from National

USAID closure harms pro-democracy development efforts in Nepal
Over 61 percent of students pass Grade 12 exams
At least 10 Nepalis dead in Kuwait from toxic alcohol
MCC deputy vice president in Nepal as US aid resumes
Misri visiting Nepal to set stage for PM Oli’s India trip

Editor's Picks

Students say they are abused under guise of discipline at a Kathmandu school
Exploring ‘forbidden’ hours: Women assert access to public space with midnight walks
Nepali women being sent to Hong Kong on fake Indian IDs
Bitter husband-wife rift throws Nagarik Unmukti Party into chaos
Drought-hit farmers die hooking wires to mains for irrigation

E-PAPER | August 16, 2025

  • Read ePaper Online
×
ABOUT US
  • About the Post
  • Masthead
  • Editorial Standards & Integrity
  • Workplace Harassment Policy
  • Privacy Policy
READ US
  • Home Delivery
  • ePaper
CONTACT US
  • Write for the Post
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Advertise in the Post
  • Work for the Post
  • Send us a tip
INTERACT WITH US
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS
  • eKantipur
  • saptahik
  • Nepal
  • Nari
  • Radio Kantipur
  • Kantipur TV
© 2025 www.kathmandupost.com
  • Privacy Policy
Top