National 2 (Spotlight Weekly)

Difficult Drive

Despite the government's professions of support, environment-friendly vehicles are not getting an easy cruise

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

For nearly 10 months, the Electro-bus has been waiting to take to Kathmandu's streets. Manufactured by the Himalayan Lights Foundation (HLF), an NGO working in renewable energy development and promotion, the Electro-bus, instead of ferrying passengers around Kathmandu, is sitting idle in a garage, as its diesel- and petrol-run counterparts are plying the streets, puffing pollutants.

Electro-bus : Too many obstructions

The Electro-bus has not been able to run in the city because is it has been caught in bureaucratic red tape. The HLF started developing the four-wheel 14-seater electric microbus nearly two years ago. It has already produced one Electro-bus while two more chassis are stuck at the Birgunj Customs. "As we had to first test the financial and technical feasibility of running an electric 4-wheelers, we decided to bring used vehicles from Britain and convert them here," said Yadav Raj Gurung, program manager at the HLF. "We thought it would not be hard to register the vehicle and run it here, given the positive policy toward promoting electric vehicles. But we were not prepared for so many hitches."

The government's Department of Transport Management declined from registering it, saying it had no policy of allowing in old vehicles. "Because we imported used milk vans from Britain, we could not register it even after we had converted it. In fact, we only used the chassis of the original vans while renovating and reconstructing the rest of the parts, including its body," said Gurung.

"After a great deal of nudging, the Ministry of Population and Environment (MoPE) finally decided to get the approval from the cabinet few months ago. But in the meantime, the government collapsed," he added. "Now, once again the MoPE is taking it to the cabinet after seeking suggestions from other concerned ministries, as well. Hopefully, this time they will resolve this issue," Gurung said.

Gurung's is not the only bitter experience. Five REVA electric cars manufactured in India with US technical assistance are stuck at the Birgunj Customs for the past 10 months. The vehicles were imported by Eco Visions, an NGO, in March last year. The vehicles should have come straight to Kathmandu after paying a 10 percent customs duty as specified by the law. However, custom officials refused to let the vehicles through stating that it was not clear if they were battery operated or electric. It took MOPE three months to decide that battery-operated and electric vehicles are the same.

Then the Ministry of Finance blocked the vehicles, saying the customs duties might change in the new budget. To everyone's surprise, the government, while announcing the budget, increased the duty on electric cars by about 10 folds, thus ruining the car's market. Since then, Eco Visions has been trying to convince the government that the vehicles should be allowed to enter the country with 10-percent custom duty, but to no avail.

"Although the government says it encourages electric vehicles, which have zero emission, such promising electric cars are ready to head back after being denied entry into this country. The importers say they are totally frustrated after wasting a lot of time and money over Rs.3 million in trying to introduce a clean vehicle in Kathmandu," said Bhusan Tuladhar, chief of Clean Energy Nepal, an NGO that advocates and promotes environment causes.

Government officials, for their part, say they are fully committed to promoting electric vehicles. "The government is firm that electric vehicles should get priority when old vehicles are replaced," said Purushottam Prasad Tiwari, spokesperson at the MoPE.

Experts say Kathmandu valley is ideal for electric vehicles. "Unlike Delhi or other bigger cities, the traveling distance in the valley is relatively short and the speed in which vehicles ply here is not high, which is ideal for EVs," said Tuladhar.

At present around 600 electric vehicles - the three wheelers more popularly known as Safa tempo - run in Kathmandu. Apart from the capital city, EVs also run in cities like Biratnagar and Chitwan. "After the initial euphoria, EV operators are now getting a rude shock, as hundreds of diesel-operated vehicles entered the valley last year. The government should have encouraged EVs rather than allowing in polluting vehicles," said Tuladhar.

If the officials translate their words into deeds, Kathmandu could earn the reputation of being the city with largest fleet of EVs.