In winters a combination of factors makes it impossible to breathe in Delhi. The High Court has slammed both the Centre and the State. The State government called for an emergency meeting and proposed a slew of measures. One of them is to allow odd and even numbered cars on alternate days.
The proposal is doomed even before it can be implemented.
Take our campus. Every bit is walkable. Especially from where I live to the Mother Dairy booth, just a two-minute walk. The residents do two things- either they will send their maid or they will take the car. Now, how will they manage if the odd/even number is implemented. Do you really think they will follow the rule?
None of the children walk either to the school bus stop or to the sports activities or to anything. As soon as they come out of their houses, they hop into the car and their parent drives them.
The excuses are plenty. Of course, I agree that there are too many dogs on the campus and no one is willing to make sure that the dogs are spayed so that their population does not increase. The onus we are told is on the NGO to whom the job has been delegated; the animal activists tell us that we are cruel to target the dogs; the reality remains that most of the dogs are feral and many of them bite; this is enough excuse for the residents not to walk. And now that the fellowships for the students has been increased, most of them possess vehicle of some sort and therefore, in the past 10 years I have been here, there has been a phenomenal increase in the vehicular traffic and hence, the pollution. We do not care because we like to put the blame on some one else. I am sure that the good citizens of Delhi will come up with ideas to defeat any measure taken by the government to reduce the pollution. Never mind that it affects our health. The car has to be exercised, right?
The proposal is doomed even before it can be implemented.
Take our campus. Every bit is walkable. Especially from where I live to the Mother Dairy booth, just a two-minute walk. The residents do two things- either they will send their maid or they will take the car. Now, how will they manage if the odd/even number is implemented. Do you really think they will follow the rule?
None of the children walk either to the school bus stop or to the sports activities or to anything. As soon as they come out of their houses, they hop into the car and their parent drives them.
The excuses are plenty. Of course, I agree that there are too many dogs on the campus and no one is willing to make sure that the dogs are spayed so that their population does not increase. The onus we are told is on the NGO to whom the job has been delegated; the animal activists tell us that we are cruel to target the dogs; the reality remains that most of the dogs are feral and many of them bite; this is enough excuse for the residents not to walk. And now that the fellowships for the students has been increased, most of them possess vehicle of some sort and therefore, in the past 10 years I have been here, there has been a phenomenal increase in the vehicular traffic and hence, the pollution. We do not care because we like to put the blame on some one else. I am sure that the good citizens of Delhi will come up with ideas to defeat any measure taken by the government to reduce the pollution. Never mind that it affects our health. The car has to be exercised, right?
Ma'am this is Prerna, i hope you remember!!! i used to work with prof. Sneha Sudha and disturbed you many a times to get your signature. we have got such a beautiful campus but dont know why people are reluctant to walk. i remember when i was in campus, some girls used to get surprise how can i walk down to KC everyday to get milk.
ReplyDeleteIn Delhi people havent discovered car pooling yet, even if they are going to the same place at the same time. May be just because of that show off habit or Ego.They will just keep blaming the government for not improving the things but themselves dont contribute.
Anyways,lets hope something better come up!!!