THE SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS LEAD PAINT STANDARD

The Supreme Court of Nepal has rejected a writ, filed by Nepal Paint Manufacturers Associations (NMPA) and other paint industry allies, which sought to nullify a mandatory standard for lead in paint enacted three years ago by the Government of Nepal. This is a victory for Nepalese children, who will now be protected from lead exposure in their homes, schools and parks, where heavily leaded paints are commonly used. Effective implementation of the law by all concerned government agencies will ensure that children in Nepal have the opportunity to grow and reach their full intellectual potential. On 1st January 2018, a joint bench of Justice Om Prakash Mishra and Justice Bham Kumar Shrestha of the Supreme Court of Nepal dismissed the writ filled by NPMA and allied paint industries after final hearing. A group of senior lawyers, Mr. Padama Br. Shrestha, Ms.Arju Karki, Mr.Bhuwan Niraula, Mr. Raju Fuyal, Mr. Ganesh Dahal, Mr. Ram Kumar Acharya and Mr. Narayan Acharya, pleaded the case in favor of the mandatory standard in the Supreme Court, with Mr. Ram Charitra Sah of CEPHED providing technical support to the legal team.