This sadly is not an unusual sight in Colombo. Despite well-known problems arising from industrial and vehicular emissions and the Central Environment Authority’s Vehicle Emission Testing Programme, we see a number of these wretched vehicles on the road.
This bus belonged to (or was operating under) one of Sri Lanka’s best known travel agencies. Weathering financial woes, it may be the case that they cannot maintain their vehicles as best they can. But should they care about more than just their bottom line?
Pulling up behind this bus and switching off my A/C because it was pulling in all the smoke, I rolled down my window and asked a cop at the junction as to why the Police didn’t pull the bus over for pollution. His answer was surprising – “Oka mahattoyo suddan geniyana bus ekak ne?” (“This is a bus carrying tourists!”)
So I guess that makes it ok to pollute our environment.