We need urgent ways to stop vehicular pollution
Tuesday - October 22, 2019 2:53 pm ,
Category : WTN SPECIAL
WTN- The pollution level in our cities is nothing to write home about. It doesn’t even surprise us anymore that nine out of ten cities in the country have abominable air quality, much below what is recommended as healthy or safe for breathing. The largest polluter of the urban air is vehicular pollution. Since 90 per cent of our vehicles run on fossil fuel, the amount of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and other harmful gases released by them is enough to chock a population.
No wonder we have some of the highest incidences of lung cancer and asthma among all major cities of the world. Ambient air quality is a far cry, especially in the face of an ever-growing population as well as vehicular density. Cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Kolkata are simply getting unlivable and in 10 years from now, unless urgent steps are taken, we will have a catastrophic situation in hand. Even smaller cities packed to the brim like Pune, Kochi, Ludhiana, Lucknow, Jaipur, Vizag etc. have an emergency at hand given the growing pollution levels they are having to live with.
Even as some measures are taken in bigger cities like odd-even formula, car pooling or metro railway, the smaller cities are far from such facilities and thus their problem is equally intense if not more. Lack of media limelight and political attention further botch their future. Their poor public transport system adds up to enhance people’s dependence on private vehicles which further convolutes the air. In any case concepts like car pooling, or making greater use of public transport or walking up short distances instead of using the car, have yet not caught up with the people in general.
Most people are not environment conscious and that extra bit of luxury or convenience is more preferable even at the cost of pollution. Despite lack of encouraging public participation, the governments need to think ahead in time and start taking measures in urgent mode. We often wake up late to the realities and by the time we act, much loss is done. Steps need to be taken from now to reap the benefits a decade later. If Delhi had metro rail network two decades back, its air quality would not have deteriorated to this extent. If more trees are planted in urban areas, much of the pollution can be soaked by them 10-15 years down the line.
If today cities like Guwahati or Vadodara or Auranagabad have comparatively better air quality, it won’t be so 15 years later and plans of metro rail or forestation or odd-even formula etc. must accordingly be made from now so that things never spiral beyond control. Use of personal vehicles has to be discouraged in phases, especially in cities on the verge of crisis, through measures like levying heavy parking fees, encouraging car pooling, strengthening public transport network, promoting work from home culture, promoting e-vehicle use, banning old vehicles etc.
It is very important to instill a different social culture in the people through consistent efforts like campaigns, workshops, incentives etc. In developed countries people in good numbers are voluntarily dumping personal vehicles or shifting to e-vehicles to reduce pollution but in the Indian populace there is no such approach or education to take corrective measures themselves, and there is colossal neglect of environmental concerns all around. This indifference has to change. Or else we have a bleak future.- Window To News
