As is the tradition every year, tomorrow, the World Environment Day, will be a Pedestrians’ Day.
Except for only emergency vehicles will be allowed, the core town areas in all 20 districts will be closed to traffic from 8am to 6pm. In Thimphu, vehicles will not be allowed on Chang Lam and Norzin Lam.
Vehicle emissions are major air polluters in Bhutan. According to a report by the National Environment Commission Secretariat (NECS), emissions from vehicles were recorded at 1,800 tons in Thimphu in 2015.
The vehicle pollutant emissions accounted for 15 per cent of the total emissions recorded in the country in 2013.
Besides polluting the air, emissions from vehicles harm human health. It causes respiratory related diseases.
“We want to encourage people to walk, not just on the pedestrian day, but also on other days,” Karma Tshering from NECS said.
Several measures to curb air pollution, such as use of low sulphur fuels, advanced vehicle emission standards and improved vehicle emission inspection system, are being proposed.
Other measures includes restriction of diesel passenger cars and light duty vehicles.
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