Trishaws main air pollution culprit

Mohammed Naalir

COLOMBO: Sixty per cent of air pollution is caused by emissions from three-wheelers, Dr. D. S. Jayaweera, Member of the Board of Directors of Clean Air Sri Lanka said.

The Government decided to ban the import of two stroke three-wheelers from 2011 as the excessive use of three-wheelers as a mode of short distance travel in main cities led to large scale air pollution, Dr. Jayaweera told a media briefing.

He said there are 210,000 three-wheelers in the country and nearly 40,000 are added annually.

“Out of this, 99 per cent are two stroke three-wheelers,” he said. Dr. Jayaweera said Bangladesh and Nepal have banned three-wheelers in their main cities.

“The air is being polluted 60 per cent by the use of diesel vehicles including the use of dual purpose vehicles. Buses account for 6.3 per cent pollution and the rest by other sources,” he added.

Private Bus Owners Association Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne said the Government should import fuel efficient vehicles.

Clean Air Sri Lanka President Ruwan Wijemuni said air pollution has increased from 80 micro grams to 90 micro grams during the recent past. Fifty micro grams is considered normal.