By Eric Rice
Sentinel Correspondent
Nepal conjures images of the snowcapped Himalayas and crisp,
clean air. But there's a grimy, unhealthy side to life in Shangri-la.
Smog in the storied high-plains valley of Kathmandu is six times
acceptable levels, according to the World Health Organization.
Next month, Aptos resident Jack Sparks will take a small step
toward unfouling the air in Nepal. On April 1, Sparks, owner
of DMV Clinic, an automotive diagnostics shop in Santa Cruz,
will trave to Kathmandu, bringing with him $15,000 worth of sophisticated
equipment used to reduce smog emissions.
Sparks' visit, sponsored by the membership of the International
Automotive Technicians Network, will be a boon to Nepal, which
has hundreds of old buses and smoke-belching |
automobile,but only two outdated pieces
of equipment for conducting smog tests.
"Its going to cut down pollution," Sparks said of
the month-long trip. "I'm going to train 12 technicians
in the ability to train 12 other technicians."
Sparks is bringing a suitcase of equipment, including infrared
temperature guns, logic probes, training manuals and an $8,000
five-gas analyzer Sparks jokes he would like to have for his
own shop. Colleagues in the industry have donated all of the
equipment.
The journey has been two years in the planning, working with
a Kathmandu auto technician who speaks English and the Nepal
Vehicle Emissions Office to work out the logistics. Most of the
trip is being funded out of Sparks' own pocket.
The current practice in Kathmandu is to "power tune" |
cars by revving their engines up to
3,000 RPMs, then tuning it by ear without regard for emissions.
Sparks hopes the training and new equipment will enable the 180
automotive technicians in Kathmandu to return cars to the streets
that burn fuel cleaner, thus curtailing smog. Also, they will have
access to advice from the 34,000 auto technicians who belong to
International Automotive Technicians Network via an Internet message
board. The network gave Sparks' contact in Nepal, auto repair technician
Irwin Bikram, a liftime membership since the $10 membership fee
is one-third of Bikram's monthly salary.
We don't even begin to comprehend how lucky we have it in this
country," Sparks said. "(Smog) settles in there for
weeks at a time to the point where children are getting sick
and can't get out and play."
Santa Cruz Sentinel Tuesday, March 20 2001 |
