Random Thoughts And Opinions

The High court of West Bengal had ordered to ban and remove two stroke engine autos from the city roads as a measure against increasing air pollution. What is amusing is the growing political involvement in this matter. The High Court had ordered the ban to be implemented by 31 December, 2008 and had said that only autos which used LPG( Liquid Petroleum Gas) or CNG( Compressed Natural gas)  will be allowed to run on the streets of Kolkata Metropolitan Area.I accept that the livelihood of many, around 1 lakh, auto drivers are involved with this ban but they are being said to just go for a change! Why is it so difficult over her when Beijing, a city which has long been subjected to criticism for its air quality has taken strict action and reduced the air pollution by around 7% in only few months. Few of the auto drivers even went to the extent of setting fire to a government bus on Saturday when the police asked for  the registration certificates and licenses and also created problem when the police tried to seize four two stroked Autos acusing widespread traffic jam.Both the government and the opposition are at fault this time. What is disgusting is Mamata Banerjee has again threatened to “shutdown” the city for 24 hours if this order was carried out. When a common citizen defies the Court or its orders it makes the police take legal action. Then when a lady shows the audacity to defy the Court and declare it publicly and also spread public resentment, no body questions her.Government should take measures to help the drivers to convert to the three stroke engines. Providing subsidies to the owners whose autos are seized and helping them to implement the High court order would have helped the Government to carry out the ban and conversion much peacefully. 

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