Automobile industry which
accounts for 7.1% of country’s GDP, is a
major contributor of growth and development of the nation. As India is a
developing country daily more people come into higher income category and these
people buy vehicles. It is their liberty to have a luxurious life. It is also
helping nation by creating more jobs, giving more tax to the government,
keeping economic growth ticking. In Delhi, Vehicular pollution is
registering a growth of 14% per annum on the other hand. This vehicular pollution is leading to poor
air quality and has many carcinogenic affects as well. This is in turn making
the city a heat island.
Cars add up every day and trees don’t add up
every day. Pollution adds up every day and pollution control is not adding up
every day. So, it is leading to high growth of pollution in the city daily.
This makes up a super wicked problem where we cannot compromise on either ends.
The higher pollution in Delhi is actually decreasing life expectancy by6.4
years. The rich who always live under air-conditioned rooms will
be less effected and have better access to medical facilities. It is in fact
poor who are badly affected and I guess life expectancy of poor in Delhi goes
down by 10 years at least.
Unless this problem is answered this it affects the
large section of people directly and create a problem to rest of the areas as
well. Many rules are brought up by the government and national green tribunal
like odd-even scheme which allows odd numbered cars on odd dates and even
numbered cars on even dates for partial period and banning sales of diesel
vehicles which pollute much higher compared to petrol variants.
We cannot
go with any of the extremes. I prefer a mid way tilted towards environmentalism
as Industry is already enjoying huge benefits. I feel public transport needs to
be revitalized and be made in such a manner that if rich can travel in it with
pride by decreasing their four wheeler travelling it vastly decreases
pollution. The governments are already in this way but the progress is much
less compared to the growing problem. Public transport will have much lesser
carbon emission per person per kilometer compared to a four wheeler car in
which generally only one person travel despite its capacity to carry four or
more. Encouraging Public transport is the only solution I feel in this high
economically growing city.
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