Currently, an interdepartmental commission is working on improving air quality in Kyrgyzstan. From 2021 to 2023, an action plan was adopted, which was then transformed into a priority action plan. This year, the commission developed a new interdepartmental plan, expanding its powers.
The official noted that the aging vehicle fleet is one of the reasons for air pollution. In Kyrgyzstan, there are over 1 million registered vehicles, more than 80% of which are over 15 years old. In Bishkek, according to official data, there are more than 400,000 such vehicles. As cars age, the catalyst, which is responsible for filtering exhaust gases, fails. It has become a subject of buying and selling, which raises concerns. We are conducting raids to identify places that buy catalysts, and it is important for every citizen to understand the necessity of having this device in their vehicle," emphasized Nursultan Tashibek uulu.
“A car cannot function without wheels, just as a catalyst must be an integral part of the gas filtration system,” he added.Currently, there is no mandatory technical inspection for all vehicles in Kyrgyzstan; it is only required for freight and passenger transport. If such an inspection were mandatory, vehicles would be checked for the presence of catalysts during the annual technical inspection. Therefore, we are looking for alternative solutions, such as checking for the presence of a catalyst during registration and re-registration. In the absence of it, registration will not be conducted. This is still just a proposal, and we will wait for approval from government bodies, after which there will be a public discussion. As an ecologist, I urge citizens to support this initiative. The issue will be brought up for discussion in the first quarter of next year,” concluded Nursultan Tashibek uulu.
