STANDARD FOR VEHICLE POLLULTION ENFORCED Kathmandu, 28 Aug,: The government has brought into effect the Nepal Vehicle Pollution Standard-2069 and the National Standard on Air Quality-2069 BS, RSS reports. These standards have been enforced so as to enhance environmental cleanliness at the sites important from the cultural, religious and touristic perspectives, and to offer people an environment where they can inhale fresh air, said the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MoEST) officials at a press conference organized here on Tuesday. An implementation facilitation team will be formed under the leadership of MoEST Joint-Secretary on the broader involvement of all stakeholders for the effective enforcement of the standards and that the team will perform by charting out action plan, said Secretary at the Ministry Krishna Gyawali. A four-wheeler vehicular means equivalent to the Euro 3 will only be operated as per the standard. Earlier, the government has displaced 20-year-old public vehicles by enforcing vehicle pollution standard in 2056 merely allowing the operation of vehicles equivalent to Euro 1 It is learnt that the Kathmandu Valley is enlisted as a city with air pollution according to a study carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2005 AD. Kathmandu has witnessed 60 per cent of pollution merely from vehicles and that it has increased number of patients of lung cancer and skin diseases, said expert on climate change at the Ministry Govinda Kharel. According to a data, there are around 1.37 million registered vehicles in Nepal and the number is being increased by 20 per cent every year. All these vehicles belong to Euro 1 and 2, said Sharad Adhikari of Department of Transport management. Chairperson of Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ) Laxman Uprety said the old-aged vehicles should gradually be removed by offering package deal and public awareness building. nnnn ONE KILLED, TWO OTHERS INJURED IN SIRAHA VEHICULAR ACCIDENT Kathmandu, 28Aug. A cyclist was killed Tuesday after a bus rammed against him in Siraha near Ansarpur VDC-7 along Mahendra Highway. Two motorcyclists were injured. nnnn SUBSIDIZED GROCERY SHOPS BEING SET UP AHEAD OF FESTIVE SEASON Kathmandu, 28 Aug.: The Department of Commerce and Supplies has started homework for running subsidized groceries in different cities including Kathmandu valley in a bid to control black marketing and stop skyrocketing price hike in daily commodities during the festive season, RSS reports. The Department is mulling to sell daily essentials including rice, sugar, salt and oil through the outlets of the Salt Trading, National Trading Company and Nepal Food Corporation. According to Director General at the Department, Narayan Prasad Bidari, the subsidized groceries will come into operation within two weeks. The Department has also released a three-month action plan to make arrangements for smooth supply of goods and services. The government plans include collecting estimated statistics of demand and supply of daily essentials and asking the private sector to announce the total stock and import of the goods. The action plan has also mentioned that market monitoring will be expedited to curb syndicate and cartel. The action plan has stated that supply of daily essentials will be made more effective within a week, Bidari said. On Monday, the Prime Minister had directed the officials to do market monitoring and arrange easy supply of goods and services to the people during the festivals like Dashain, Tihar and Chhath. nnnn