One
of the rules we follow faithfully in this Country is to lock our stable doors
after the Horse had bolted.
Everyone
has known for the last few years that of the ten top most polluted cities in
the world are in India.
But
here we are at Diwali time bursting crackers. The government allowed a two hour
window which is absolute nonsense! The noxious fumes will still be there. It
has been reported that citizens defied the cracker ban in Delhi. Chandigarh was
also full of cracker bangs!
However,
the administration is waiting patiently for the horse to escape and then amble
over to close the gates!
The
blame is being thrown at the farmers for stubble burning and of course Diwali.
Stubble burning last for a six week period. Diwali comes once a year. There is
something that pollutes 365 days and nights of the year.
Mention
pollution and that damnable invention comes to mind, the Internal Combustion
Engine, ICE. Here is a new physical formula, ICE produces heat. Yes! ICE is one
of the major contributors for Global Warming.
If
we cannot control and tame this beast, we can look forward to Global Warming
and the decay and possible demise of the Planet Earth! There are indications
that this is a very real possibility.
At
the COP 24 meeting in Katowice, Poland world leaders and scientists met to
discuss, debate and deduce that the Planet was in mortal danger. More on this
later!
Let’s
start with Chandigarh. National statistics show that the highest English
speaking and educated state is Kerala before 8 a.m. After 8 p.m. it is Punjab!
By that time everyone has cleansed their mouth with their favourite mouthwash.
Time to make plans and strategise!
They
are at their favourite watering hole. They came in a Beemer, Audi, Merc, and
Endeavour. Possibly, one person in each car. Four people, four cars polluting
Chandigarh unnecessarily,
Much
the same happens each morning. Up to a dozen car owners from Sectors 3-4-5-8-9
work in Sector 17, maybe along Madhya Marg or the Industrial Area. It’s usually
one person, one car, possibly chauffer driven. It is the best way to pollute
the atmosphere and clog our roads. This was proved in Montreal about fifty
years ago.
There
is nothing new about this problem. Every developing nation in the West has been
through this. It’s just that we haven’t learnt a lesson.
Montreal
is an island city in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River. Several bridges
connect it to the North and South shore. They are all toll bridges.
If
there were 4+1 driver per car, the toll would be $5.00. For one car with 1
driver it would be an exorbitant $25.00. Something like that, if I remember
correctly!
I
never paid any toll, I lived on the island and walked to work.
It
is time that the intelligencia of Chandigarh, the Captains of Industry, retired
bureaucrats, judges, faujis make a practical decision and implement it.
Gentlemen,
the answer is car pools. You can continue to flout your fancy cars, the killer
machines. A Beemer one week, next week a Merc, maybe an Audi, but not every day
and all at the same time.
One
car can drop 3 to 4 people to work, comes back to take Wifey shopping, Mommy to
her kitty party, kido to the gym. One car will have moved 7 to 10 bodies!
Think!
In one small, but intelligent, practical move you have made a major
contribution to Mother Earth’s Health!
And please have stickers to display on your rear windscreen, “I am a car pooler!”