Dear Mr. Vohra,
You always bring out timely comments on various issues agitating the people at large with pictures and comments! However, I reserve my comments on the latest jinx of our hon'ble CM relating to the regulation of odd and even numbers vehicles! I wonder how many vehicles carry the 'Pollution check certificate'. I feel that even if a through check is done at various points whether the vehicles have a 'pollution check certificate' it may to a large extent reduce 'vehicles' pollution'. It may spread over a period time. All vehicles, including two wheelers should be checked.
Secondly, people at large use their own vehicles to facilitate their mobility as all places are not connected either by metro or bus! The long term solution to reduce pollution is to increase the number of routes of metro and buses on various routes and expedite the completion of the metro routes on a war footing, solving all the local problems relating to land acquisition etc. which is a major hurdle in its way. Similarly, the frequency of buses on various routes has to be expedited. But all these may take time. However, we have forgotten/ignored one of the existing 'suburban railway routes' e.g. Delhi-Ghaziabad, via Tilak Bridge and Vivek Vihar, Meerut/Palwal routes, besides the 'ring railway system' which was invoked during the 82-Asian Games, which has since gone into oblivion, deliberately done by the Administration! These could be improved a lot to ease the traffic and ipso facto pollution as well and all these systems will ferry a larger number of people without any obstruction to the existing road-system! This could be taken up as an immediate step. Will they? NO! because of lack of coordination and ulterior motives inherent in the mindset of people who matters! Can we overcome this piquant situation for remedial action, as a immediate measure? NO!
If the car prices become steep, like in Singapore/Japan etc. this could be another way and a rich source of income too to the Govt. Besides, petrol/diesel prices for private car owners should be hiked so that usage of private cars could be reduced to some extent.But will they do it? NO!!
The above being are the impediments, how can you reduce vehicles pollution! What about the buses of neighbouring states like UP and Haryana mushrooming the ISBTs which are yet an another source for polluting the atmosphere to a great extent. Can they impose any restrictions/regulations to check this menace? NO!!
The industries mushrooming in Delhi are also the main cause for polluting the atmosphere, particularly in East and West Delhi. Can they restrict/regulate them? NO!!
This being the situation at the ground level, new ideas, copying Singapore and China cannot, I don't with discourage, be imposed as we are not a disciplined lot like the citizens in Singapore or China, where the 'discipline' is imbibed or imposed!!!
TK Balu/Anand Vihar
