Supreme Court bans registration of new diesel SUVs, luxury cars in Delhi till March 31

NEW DELHI: In a landmark ruling aimed at curbing the alarming pollution level in Delhi, the Supreme Court on Wednesday banned the registration of all diesel SUVs and luxury cars with engine capacity of 2000 cc or more in the entire National Capital Region till March 31 next year.

The top court also ruled that all trucks not bound for Delhi will not be allowed to enter the capital through National Highways 1 and 8. Those carrying goods for Delhi will have to shell out a steep environment compensation charge (ECC) — Rs 2,600 for big trucks and Rs 1,400 for light commercial vehicles, which is double the ECC earlier specified by the court.

The Supreme Court has also asked all the private cabs operating in the city to convert to Compressed Natural Gas or CNG by March 1 next year. In a relief to the ordinary commuters, the court exempted small diesel cars from the ambit of its order.

The ruling came two weeks before the Delhi government's radical 15-day odd-even experiment to regulate the number of cars on city roads begins on January 1.

In the other measures, the court asked the Centre to provide proper masks to all traffic policemen in the city, saying they were the worst affected by its pollution.

With thanks : TOI : LINK : For detailed news report.

Beware! This can happen to any woman, or man, in Bengaluru in broad daylight

A woman was stalked, abused and threatened by a group of ‘kidnappers’ in broad daylight amidst heavy traffic in Bengaluru. This is her terrifying story

At around 2:00 pm on December 11, I was driving towards Marathahalli (in Bengaluru), under the KR Puram Bridge next to the railway station.

The traffic was very slow. While waiting there for the vehicles to move, I heard the driver of a red Maruti Swift car on my left shouting and making some obscene hand gestures.

I chose to ignore and moved ahead with the vehicles on to the flyover that connects to the Outer Ring Road.

While on the flyover, I saw the car tailing me. I still did not think much of it, thinking it could be heading in the same direction as I.

However, giving into my keep safe instincts, I decided to avoid being close to the car at the next signal.

Due to the heavy traffic, there was not much place to manoeuvred my car around and I ended up right in the middle of the road.  As soon as my car stopped at the signal, many men jumped out of the Swift, which was right behind me, and surrounded my car.

They started banging on the car; one guy was clicking my pictures while others hit the car, the car windows, the front windshield, rearview mirror, etc. They kept shouting and abusing in Kannada and demanded that I get out of the car. I just gestured them to move away.

I was surrounded by many vehicles with people in them and yet not one soul dared to question those men, on what they were doing and why they were harassing a lone woman.

Next, I saw two of the men bending down to deflate the front tyres. That's when I started screaming inside the car and asked them to get away. To stop them from acting on their threat, I started to move the vehicle. By this time the signal turned green and I could drive ahead.

I was scared. As soon as I crossed that signal, I called my friend who was the last-dialled number on my phone, to tell her what had happened.

with thanks : Yahoo News : LINK : MUST READ THE COMPLETE NEWS.

DJB Not Working !

Sir

In our street no 1 in front of house no 34 sewer is overflowing since last two months. Complaints are being registered regularly but regularly complaints are regularly reset without any action. Kindly approach the concerned authority.

Thanks

Om Prakash

RWA SECRETARY

ARYA NAGAR

DELHI 110092

Odd & Even issue !

I am ready to leave my car for all days and want to travel by Delhi Metro from residence in Rohini Sector 13 to Bhikaiji Cama Place, R K Puram, New Delhi. I am unable to get metro despite I can get metro from two lines Badli to Gurgaon and Rithala- Kashmiri Gate and then for Gurgaon, total 6 metro stations, 3 each on both lines touches my residence but in the absence of any Feeder or DTC bus to these 6 stations. These stations are Rohini east / west / pitampura on rithala-dilshad garden line and Badli, Rohini sec 18 and Haiderpur on Badli Gurgaon line. Haiderpur metro station is highly risky, first we have to cross the outer ring road and then walk on roadside against huge flow of traffic, even there is no U turn on outer ring road to come by own vehicle from residence to haiderpur.

yash pal

Odd & Even issue !

Dear Mr. Vohra,

I fully endorse the views expressed herein by Shri Rajiv Kakria and your appeal to all RWAs to share their views through your channel rendering a noble service to enable people (aam aadmi) at large to open up their shut mouth on all vital issues!

Once again I submit that the Govt. should concentrate on improving the 'public transport services' in a coordinated manner taking into confidence the Central Govt. (whose officers right from Directors and above who use official cars for all purposes), the various agencies of the State Govt., Northern Railway Delhi Division, DMRC and the State's Transport Dept. This will with the passage of time improve the present difficult situation and there are no 'fast first aid' to overcome the situation. 

It must be remembered that overnight we cannot, repeat not, improve the present piquant situation without self-discipline and honesty (which is at a premium in all circles) to the core!! Let's not try and encourage the private autos, taxies, buses (which are fit for city service only - not the then city's blue line service, which created a 'havoc' in the city in the past), which naturally create more chaos on the roads (but a rich vote bank for the political parties to encourage) adding to the present situation.  Let's not imitate or copy what is obtaining in China, Japan, Singapore or in western countries like Sweden etc. which are being quoted often, where self-discipline is upper most added to the 'dread' of local Police, who care little for VIPs etc. to punish)!! 

I strongly feel that once the 'public transport' i.e. the local bus, metro and railway services is improved by all means and check that all private vehicles carry 'valid pollution certificate', the present situation could improve a lot. Govt. should also think over the matter of pooling of cars by officials etc. to a particular destination, which will also reduce the congestion on the roads, to a great extent. You could see for yourselves that all the Govt. departments have no 'parking places' for their own cars, added to the cars of the lower ranked officials and visitors! This will prove the aforesaid point advocated! 

The big question to be answered in letter and spirit is - CAN WE? Of course all the affected officials will throw ample justification to the contrary, as they have been enjoying this 'unique privilege' for quite some time and still proliferating endlessly!! Self-restrictions thus imposed  will not only reduce the present congestion but also 'save' petrol for the Nation, which is of course becoming cheaper!

With regards,

TK Balu/Anand Vihar

Success of Odd & Even plan of Delhi Government ?

K/a. : Transport Minister, Delhi Govt.

Dear Sir,

A study by the Centre for Science and Environment has revealed that Cars contribute only 22% in the Air Pollution of Delhi. Therefore, by the Odd & Even measures, we will not be able to check, even half of the Cars, as Govt vehicles, Car pooling vehicles, Women driven vehicles, CNG vehicles and many others, are expected to get exemption, on one or other ground.  

Moreover, those stranded on the roads, without a car, will use other transport facilities such as three wheelers, taxis, buses to move to their destination and this additional pressure on the public transport, will also create, additional pollution, mitigating all the efforts. As a result, we may not be able to reduce the air pollution, even by 5 %. 

If you are really serious over the issue, why don’t you apply the scheme of barring just two digits per day ( i.e. All Vehicles of those two digits – Except Govt & Emergency services ) from roads, as below : 

Monday : all vehicles with 0 & 1 digits, Tuesday : all vehicles with 2 & 3 digits, Wednesday : all vehicles with 4 & 5 digits, Thursday : all vehicles with 6 & 7 digits and on Friday : all vehicles with 8 & 9 digits, between 8 AM to 8 PM.  Saturday & Sunday will be exempted.   

It will create a problem for some of the residents, everyday, but for a day only, in the seven days period but it will have a massive impact in resolving the pollution issue as it may go down by many times of the present possibility. Office goers may sacrifice for a day for the sake of our city or may ask to adjust the working day with Saturday. 

Rest depends upon you, but we are very much sure that strict measures must be taken to reduce the pollution from Delhi & that must include, barring / regulating, the influx of new vehicles in the city.

With Best regards,

B S Vohra

Social Activist

An ODD way to EVEN out Misgovernance of Decades ….. VICTIMS of Apathy being Inconvenienced

Dear Friends,

Even the Chief Justice has come out in support of this ODD (EVEN) ban, he knows that he will be taken care of so I call it LIP SERVICE. Arvind says even his Ministers will follow this rule, they too will be taken care of (remember 400%)

Before I get into the details of why I am not in favour of this ODD Ban, let me make it clear that even those who suggested it did not think it through. WHY ELSE ARE THEY TALKING OF EXEMPTIONS for Single Women, Handicapped and Emergency Services, soon there will be demands for Senior Citizens and others.

HAVE THEY EVEN GIVEN A THOUGHT TO THE REAL REASONS FOR THE MESS WE ARE IN ……

REASON: Pollution is not entirely due to number of Vehicles on the Roads, but due to being stuck in loooooooong JAMS

CAUSE: The real reasons for Jams a) ENCROACHMENTS b) NO LANE DRIVING c) VIP MOVEMENT d) PARKING ON ROADS e) GENERAL INDISCIPLINE

REASON: Old ill maintained vehicles pollute manifold more than the newer Bharat IV vehicles

CAUSE: For political reasons old polluting vehicles are not phased out or checked for Pollution Certificates.

REASON: Pathetic Public Transport and Fleecing unsafe Autos / Taxis make people opt for Private Vehicles

CAUSE: Police, Transport Officials are responsible for not ensuring that Public Transport is Safe or Sure (Remember Nirbhaya) some set of people are making a lot of money …… has anyone tried taking a Taxi from the Railway Station any time of the day, god forbid if you are a Girl (Mr. Chief Justice, I highly recommend that)

REASON: Metro is packed in like Sardines, do you seriously expect people to give up cars

CAUSE: India is not a Classless Society, WHY NOT 1st Class Compartments in Metro, even DTC offers AC Buses with higher tariff.

REASON: Generators ....... need I say more

CAUSE: A lot of money is made to turn a Blind Eye ...... BAAP BARA NA BHAIYA ........ the whole thing is that ......

It’s easier to Ban, than to Reform and to Enforce rule of Law ….. THE CHOICE IS BETWEEN TAKING TOUGH DECISIONS TO MAKE REAL DIFFERENCE …… OR TO MANAGE AN EVENT AND PAT YOURSELF FOR TRYING ……… AND EARN GREEN NGOs CARBON POINTS ?????

I support any initiative that curbs pollution ……. I will grudgingly abide by what the Government decides ….. in the hope that I am wrong and have raised unnecessary doubts. IF ONLY ?????

Warm Regards,

Rajiv Kakria

Pollution in Delhi : Live Hindustan : B S Vohra

with thanks : Live Hindustan

Odd & Even issue !

With interest i am following the Pollution issue in Delhi : 

1. Immediately close down all industries operating in Residential Area all MCD Know where they are.

2. Stop burning of Garbage in Open

3. Start Chartered Buses with Strict controll over them

4. Restructure DTC Routes which are very Long

5. Stregthen the Local Railway and steps may be taken to provide the connectivity to these station

6. Utilise the DTC Fleet properly as at some places there are unnecssary more buses and at other places people are wating for long forcing them to take their private vehicles

with regards 

chander mohan 

navrachna appartment 

east arjun nagar

Odd & Even issue !

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

सम और विषम के चक्कर मे दिल्ली विषम परिस्थिति मे ?

"कहा जाता है की दिल्ली अब तक कई बार लुट चुकी है, कभी ग़ज़नवी तो कभी कोई और. कहीं ऐसा ना हो की इस बार दिल्ली एक बार फिर से लुट जाए और इस बार दिल्ली को लूटने के लिए कॅन्सर जैसी कोई ख़तरनाक बीमारी हो".....

दिल्ली मे सिविल लाइन्स मे बेंजेन की मात्रा 19 गुना पाई गई. दूसरे इलाक़ों मे भी बेंजेन की मात्रा नॉर्मल से काफ़ी ज़्यादा पाई गई. बेंजेन बहुत ही कॅन्सरस होती है. इसका कोई रंग नही होता. इसकी कोई स्मेल भी नही होती. कल्पना कीजिए क़ी यह कॅन्सरस बेंजेन, 19 गुना के लेवेल पर आपके घर मे, आपके बेड रूम मे, आपके ड्रॉयिंग रूम मे, आपके किचन मे फैली हुई हो, जिसमे आप, आप का परिवार, आपके बुजुर्ग माता पिता, आपके बच्चे, नाती, पोते, पोती सभी साँस ले रहे हो, तो क्या होगा ?

बेंजेन के साथ साथ तौलिन का लेवेल भी काफ़ी ज़्यादा है. साथ ही साथ PM 2.5 और PM 10 भी मानक से कई कई गुना उपर  चल रहे हैं. दीवाली की रात दिल्ली मे कई जगहो पे PM 2.5, 16 गुना तक पाया गया और PM 10 तो 23 गुना ( 2308 ) पर था. पर्टिक्युलेट मॅटर्स धूल के वो बारीक कन होते है जो सांसो के साथ साथ आपके लंग्ज़ मे पहुँच जाते है और फिर आपकी सेहत को भारी नुकसान पहुँचाते हैं. 

इसका एक बड़ा कारण दिल्ली मे गाड़ियों की बदती हुई संख्या भी है. सिर्फ़ पिछले 10 सालों मे दिल्ली मे गाड़ियों की संख्या लगभग 41 लाख से बॅड्कर लगभग 90 लाख तक पहुँच चुकी है. जबकि सड़के लगभग उसी अनुपात मे हैं जो की 10 साल पहले हुआ करती थी. नतीजतन, ट्रॅफिक जाम की भयंकर परिस्थिति और उसके कारण भारी पोल्यूशन. क्या आपको नही लगता की इस सबको अगर अब भी ना रोका गया तो क्या होगा. 

कहा जाता है की दिल्ली अब तक कई बार लुट चुकी है, कभी ग़ज़नवी तो कभी कोई और. कहीं ऐसा ना हो की इस बार दिल्ली एक बार फिर से लुट जाए और इस बार दिल्ली को लूटने के लिए कॅन्सर जैसी कोई ख़तरनाक बीमारी हो. 

अब इसका सिर्फ़ एक इलाज नज़र मे आता है और वो है कि दिल्ली की सड़कों से गाड़ियों को कम करना. दिल्ली के CM ने दिल्ली हाइ कोर्ट और NGT के स्ट्रिक्चर्स के बाद यह ऑर्डर कर दिया है की अब 1 जन्वरी से दिल्ली मे सिर्फ़ सम या फिर विषम नंबरों की गाड़ियाँ ही किसी एक दिन चल सकेंगी. यानी की जिस दिन सम नंबरों की गाड़ियाँ चलेंगी, उस दिन विषम नंबरों की गाड़िया नही चल सकेंगी.

अब पोल्यूशन को कम करने के लिए हमे कड़े कदम तो उठाने पड़ेंगे, लेकिन दिक्कत यह है की हमारे शहर मे यातायात के पर्याप्त साधन ही नही है. मेट्रो बड़ा अछा काम कर रही है लेकिन अब उसमे भी भारी भीड़ दिखने लग गई है.

सभी को डर है की पोल्यूशन हटाने के चक्कर मे कही हम अपनी नोकरी ही ना गवा बैठे क्योंकि तीन दिन बिना कार के, मुश्किल तो होने वाली है. अब सरकार को देखना है की वो यह स्कीम किस तरह से लागू करती है ताकि लोगो को कोई मुश्किल ना हो, काम धंधों पे पहुँचने मे परेशानी ना हो, सुख दुख मे शामिल होने मे कोई दिक्कत ना हो, किसी मेडिकल एमर्जेन्सी के समय कोई रोक टोक ना हो.

हम तो यह चाहेंगे कि दिल्ली सरकार शुरुआत मे रोज सिर्फ़ एक या दो डिजिट की गाड़ियों को ही बंद करे यानी की सोमवार को 0 , 1, मंगल वार को 2, 3, बुधवार को 4, 5, गुरुवार को 6, 7, और शुकरवार को 8, 9. बाकी के दो दिन, यानी की शनिवार और इतवार को किसी तरह की कोई रोक ना हो ताकि लोग अपनी छुट्टी एंजाय भी कर सके.

इस स्कीम को कुछ दिन चलाने के बाद, सरकार यह देखे की लोगों को कहीं कुछ दिक्कत तो नही हो रही और फिर उस हिसाब से ज़रूरी इन्तेजाम करने के बाद ही आगे के लिए ज़रूरी निर्देश दिए जाए. इससे एक तरफ तो सरकार भी सही तरह के दिशा निर्देश दे पाएगी और जनता को भी ज़्यादा नुकसान नही होगा.

अब देखते हैं की दिल्ली का उनठ किस करवट बैठता है लेकिन सच्चाई यही है की अगर दिल्ली को बर्बाद होने से बचाना है तो पोल्यूशन तो कम करना ही पड़ेगा.

B S Vohra

Social Activist,

President,

East Delhi RWAs Joint Front

www.RWABhagidari.com

www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.in