|  A
recent study has revealed a marginal improvement in Delhi's air quality
since 1998 following the Supreme Court (SC) directive to all commercial
vehicles to use only CNG as fuel. But despite these highly audible and
visible efforts, Delhi is still far from the 'Blue Skies and Clean Air'
scenario. Attempts to check pollution by court orders have only created
more disorder. All round the doubts, debates and delays continue.
Trouble is the government did not wish to take a stand on CNG. On one
hand it didn't want to antagonise trade unions by enforcing the CNG law
on them and at the same time it didn't have the courage to oppose it.
As a result supplies have been inadequate and drivers are wasting hours
in long queues at the fuelling stations is now a common site. Also, the
fitment standards for CNG systems were not enforced at all, resulting
in number of fires.
Instead
of creating and perfecting the infrastructure for dispensing CNG, the
government has only commissioned half a dozen 'Expert Reports' which repeat
the same things on norms and fuels! Recently, by accepting, almost overnight,
Mashelkar recommendations for allowing a choice of fuel, the government
further deferred implementation of the CNG orders. The SC did not approve
such a disregard of its orders and imposed a total fine of Rs 25 crore
and further continuing fines on a daily basis on transporters and Delhi
and Union Governments. As a result Delhi's transport system came to a
standstill, dislocating city life, resulting in heavy expenses and suffering
for the common man.
In sticking by CNG, we overlook better fuels and technologies. The Mumbai
High Court and Maharashtra State Transport Commissioner have followed
also forced around 20,000 commercial vehicles to be converted to CNG.
Looks like the Delhi scenario will be replayed in Mumbai! |
May
2002