Hearing the objection and nod of disapproval from
numerous people to Delhi Government’s odd-even car proposal, has made me
realize how unconnected and unconcerned most of us are with the environment and
the most basic and necessary of things which is required for our survival- AIR.
Living in Delhi has been equated to living in a gas
chamber by the High Court of Delhi. Our air pollution levels are off the
charts.
Runners and cyclists are inhaling several times more of the air
pollutants. This is not a city where running, cycling, walking or living is
feasible anymore. Yet, many of us are trying to shoot down the Delhi Government’s
much needed initiative of even-odd cars or arguments from the supporters of the
proposed rule.
Maybe the reason for that is that the people of Delhi cannot
connect the relationship between clean air and healthy living. However, runners
and cyclists in Delhi and elsewhere are more aware of the menace of bad air and
they also seem to be more proactive and receptive to the even-odd rule.
It
seems that the non-athlete sedentary Delhi-ite has not yet been able to fathom
how bad the situation is and how much worse it will become if no action is
taken immediately and if actions which are being undertaken are thwarted for
flimsy reasons.
The regular Delhi person seems to be content with
the, if I can’t see it then it’s not bad
or if I close my eyes, then the monster will
vanish approach. Forget the obliviousness and apathy of adults; our
children’s lungs are already compromised and will further deteriorate.
Remember the superhero, Captain Planet. Nope? Or do
you remember him only faintly? Don’t fret. I can understand. He is one of the
most basic superheroes. He, (i) is not good looking; (ii) is not overly
muscular; (iii) has no background childhood horror stories or tough upbringing or
emotional issues that you can relate to; (iv) has no over the top superpowers;
and (v) he is in general a very amiable character.
Due to all these “shortcomings” which don’t give
him an "edge", Captain Planet never became as famous as Superman or Batman. Hell, even Ant Man is now more famous than him. Captain Planet is
like the guy in class that you would say Hi to everyday but will conveniently forget
when you graduate.
But unlike Batman and Superman and other superheroes he was
possibly the only one who wanted to save our planet from pollution with the
help of the people. His superpower in fact generated when all the kids combined
their powers. He was basically a lesson from his creator/writer that we need to
get together and save the planet. Captain
Planet was the only superhero who told us to protect our environment and not
pollute it at the end of every episode.
His theme
song was:
Earth!
Fire!
Wind!
Water!
Heart!
GO PLANET!
With your powers combined I am Captain Planet!
Captain
Planet, he's our hero,
Gonna take
pollution down to zero,
He's our
powers magnified,
And he's
fighting on the planet side
Captain
Planet, he's our hero,
Gonna take
pollution down to zero,
Gonna help
him put us under,
Bad guys who
like to loot and plunder
"You'll pay for this Captain Planet!"
We're the
planeteers,
You can be
one too!
'Cause saving
our planet is the thing to do,
Looting and
polluting is not the way,
Hear what
Captain Planet has to say:
"THE
POWER IS YOURS!!"
|
Nice guys never win |
Captain Planet was quite possibly the only
superhero who wanted to really add value to our life and save us and the future
generations from the menace of pollution created by humans. He was an animated
lesson in environment protection.
However, just like we ignored him since it was
convenient, we are ignoring the Delhi Government’s initiative and the benefits
of the odd-even car rule since it will not be convenient to follow the said
rule.
All the objections that I have heard till now can
be dealt with.
Last mile connectivity at work place is absent is
not a correct statement. There may be less connectivity but there cannot be an
absence. A commercial establishment will never be set up in the middle of a
desert. No profits can be made if a business is run in the middle of nowhere. If
not taxis, buses or rickshaws, then there will be some local “entrepreneur” who
will be running an auto service. Maybe you could give walking a shot! Your
employer in order to protect his profits will ensure that some sort of
transport is provided. Your colleagues can come and pick you up on bad days or
till the time arrangements are made.
What will happen in case of a medical emergency? I
trust you will agree that no cop will stop a car if he can see a patient in
pain inside. Moreover, ambulances will move faster if there are less cars on
the roads.
People are leading normal lives in smaller cities
and villages where transport is negligible. Even with the odd-even car rule, we
will still have a hundred times more connectivity and transport facilities.
For every objection there is some rational explanation,
solution or alternative. The only problem is that it is inconvenient. The
government is figuring out solutions to loopholes and they are devising ways to
control any chaos that may arise from the rule. But shooting down a policy that allows you,
your family and future generations to live a healthy life is not humane or
rational, just because it will inconvenience you and just because you do not
(at this point in time) realize the importance of clean air.
I’m not even venturing into the fact that less
traffic on the road will mean substantial time savings which can be used to
lead a happier and less stressed life.
I'd use the extra time, low traffic and clean air to rigorously pursue outdoor activities. I wish there were more cyclists and runners in
Delhi. They would have been able to influence those who do not realize.
Read this http://www.firstpost.com/india/india-races-past-china-in-pollution-delhi-air-one-and-a-half-times-worse-than-beijing-2540114.html
for another reminder of how dire the situation has become.