A dedicated and eminent conservationist, Pralad Yonzon, has been the victim of chaotic traffic of Kathmandu Valley. A truck rammed the bicycle he was riding on Monday. As an environmentalist, Yonzon had been commuting on a bicycle from home to office for the past 25 years. But the bicycle is the most neglected vehicle in this dusty and polluted city. There are no bicycle lanes even when the city is ideal for pedal transportation. The death of one of Nepal's most noted conservationists who voluntarily adopted a clean lifestyle should be an example to others.

There are no sidewalks for pedestrians, there are no designated lanes for bicyclists on most Valley roads. The number of private vehicles has grown exponentially. Public transport is unreliable and crowded. The city planners have never prioritised public transport.

You judge how civilised a place is by the way it treats pedestrians and bicyclists. Kathmandu rates very low on the civilisational scale. The death of conservationist Yonzon has saddened conservationists and demoralised others like him who use bicycles. A true tribute to Yonzon would be to launch a campaign to pressure the municipality to turn Kathmandu from a death trap for bicyclists to a bicycle-friendly city.