Banking News – Rastriya Swatantra Party (RASWAPA) lawmaker Ashika Tamang has drawn the government’s attention, stating that black smoke emitted from old and worn-out vehicles plying in the Kathmandu Valley has increased air pollution. Speaking during the zero hour of the House of Representatives meeting on Monday, lawmaker Tamang stated that although white clouds race across the sky, citizens are forced to suffocate due to the black smoke from vehicles on the ground.

“While white clouds race across the sky above, we on the ground are forced to overtake vehicles, wondering when we will be free from the black smoke of smoke-belching vehicles,” she said.

Lawmaker Tamang accused the government of failing to take effective steps to control pollution from vehicles. Recalling that she had raised the issue of strict action against vehicles emitting black smoke at the Ministry of Infrastructure Development three months ago, she stated that although the concerned minister had then committed to increasing the fine from Rs 500 to Rs 50,000, it has not been implemented.

“At that time, the minister had committed to imposing fines of up to Rs 50,000 on vehicles emitting black smoke, but implementation is zero,” she said. Noting that the tendency to make rules but not implement them has frustrated the public, she accused the government of being indifferent to phasing out old vehicles. Stating that the government has been making excuses about a lack of resources, she said this cannot be accepted.

Lawmaker Tamang sarcastically questioned the government, saying, “We need new leaders and ministers to run the country, but are the vehicle engines still the same old worn-out ones, a hundred years old? In such a situation, how can the public get to breathe clean air?” She demanded that the government immediately manage old polluting vehicles plying on the roads, conduct strict monitoring, and ensure citizens’ right to breathe clean air.