The smell of sweet success … is it premature? Only time will tell.
The Hon’ble Calcutta High Court on July 18th 2008, converted an environment department notification into a judicial directive that makes it mandatory for the government to fight air pollution.
What this means : The Hon’ble High Court has banned commercial vehicles registered before January 1, 19993 from Calcutta (Kolkata) and its outskirts. All autorickshaws (3 wheelers), irrespective of their date of registration, will have to convert to either CNG or LPG.
By when: Deadline for conversion is Mar 31, 2009, and order should be implemented by December 31st 2009. Areas include Calcutta Metropolitan Area (CMA), North & South 24 Parganas, Howrah & Hooghly.
Bengal government has a dismal record in implementing guidelines. The world of Bengal is run under the diktat of CITU (Trade Union Wing of CPI-M), and no progressive drive can take place because of its “self interest”.
To digress from this topic and show the clout of CITU:
1. The clean up drive of evicting hawkers from Park Street (show piece road of Kolkata) constantly faces threat and intimidation of CITU
2. The Public Vehicles Department (PVD) confiscated a few autos recently in Kolkata, and no surprises that none of them had valid registration papers. What was surprising was that CITU descended with 400 people and forcibly “freed” the autos as police looked haplessly.
3. Touts are selling DRIVING LICENSES to those who CANNOT drive, and they will start functioning under the protective umbrella or CITU (reported in Telegraph on 28th July08).
It’s a shame really, reminiscent of a banana republic in Latin America of early 70s.
Coming back to the point of the High Court Order:
Why is it different this time: The Court has given JUDICIAL TEETH, this time. By making the notification an order, the court has bound the government to implement it.
Monitoring: Hon’ble High Court set July 31st as deadline for forming a committee to monitor the implementation of the High Court order on controlling vehicular pollution. The State Govt. has formed a 9 member committee headed by Chief Secretary Amit Kiran Deb. This agency will have to file report every fortnight.
The Court also directed a crackdown on unauthorized autos, adulteration of fuel and auto emission testing centres that issue fake pollution under control certificate (PUC).
My heartiest thanks to the Green Bench, specially Hon’ble Chief Justice SS Nijjar and Justice PC Ghosh for giving this landmark judgement. I thank you, Sirs, for saving our future generation from harmful toxin air.
Now it is to be seen the fight between civil society asserting its right for a better life vs CITU equally keen to protect its “money sources”.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Politics & Economics of 3 Wheelers ... Part 2 of 3.
The Telegraph on July 9th came out with the article: GOVT U TURN ON LPG CONVERSION. “The department (meaning: Transport Dept), is not in favour of conversion as we have found lots of demerits in old autos switching to LPG. Instead, we are planning to replace them with new autos and also catch the illegal autos,” stated RANJAN MAITY, the joint secretary of the Transport Department.
It is to be noted that autos have been successfully converted to LPG in cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai – hence the argument holds no water.
Owners of 2 stroke autos can take loans from banks to buy new 4 stroke vehicles after depositing Rs 30,000 as seed money. Out of it, Rs 10,000 will be provided by the govt as subsidy and Rs 8,000 will come from selling the old vehicle. (Meaning: The auto owner will have to deposit Rs 22,000). A new 4 stroke auto costs Rs 1.30 Lakh.
Subhas Dutta, noted environmentalist, rightly questions this flawed argument by pointing out “How can auto owners who could not convert to LPG by spending a few thousand rupees buy new vehicles by spending over a lakh?”
Obviously, this is hogwash, and should be treated with disdain as this insults the intelligence of even the dumbest person. Have we become so paralysed in our thinking process that whatever rubbish the Transport Dept throws our way, we have to swallow and live a sub-optimal life – because at the end of the day, this is what it is. If the fumes from kata tel is taking years away from our productive life, then the government of the day will have to pay dearly for it.
The UNION, it seems, is today working only for its members. It is mandated to look after the welfare of its members as per charter. So what, if the majority of citizens suffer because of foul air - the UNION is above the law and can do whatever it pleases to do. I am reiterating, the UNION makes mockery of governance – it has made BENGAL into a banana republic. PERIOD !!!
So what is behind this “U Turn”? MONEY – dear friends, what else? And UNION knows welfare of members only means one thing – pocketing money any which way.
THE ECONOMICS: (read Telegraph article dated 28th June,08)
3 wheeler business is run by the goons, for the goons and controlled by the ultimate goon – the UNION. There are 2 major income stream.
STREAM 1: PROTECTION MONEY. There are approximately 55,000 3 wheelers in the city, more than half of which are unregistered. When Delhi banned 2 stroke 3 wheelers, many of the “scrap” found its way to Kolkata – unregistered. Each of these 55,000 autos pays the CITU Union under which they are organized Rs 5 to Rs 10 EVERYDAY, depending on the route they take. The yearly intake is a staggering Rs 19.80 Crs (@Rs10/day) to Rs 9.9 Crs (@Rs 5 per day). The Telegraph pegs it at around Rs 15 Crs per year.
STREAM 2: ILLEGAL SALE OF KATA TEL. The role kata tel plays in killing breathable air has been discussed in Part 1. This will deal with the economics of it. The sale of kata tel is illegal, yet there are more than 250 “outlets” selling kata tel openly in and around the city, some a few meters away from police stations. Of course, the palms have been greased, otherwise this flagrant violation could not be possible. The police and the transport department can never find these “outlets”, yet Telegraph, Times of India, Indian Express and even citizens have seen these “outlets” operate brazenly, not even having to shift premises – so sure are they of their “untouchability” factor.
The Telegraph, in its investigative article on July 14th, estimates that at least (conservative estimate) 150,000 litres of kata tel is sold in Kolkata alone to 3 wheelers. Which means, at least 50% of this, 75,000 litres of petrol, has to be siphoned off daily to run this racket. These volumes are huge, and needs a corporate style logistics to run this efficiently. Kata tel is sold at Rs 35 per litre, making it a business of Rs 190 Crs per year.
I am estimating at least a 30% plus gross margin, the returns are Rs 50 Crs per year.
Adding Stream 1 & 2 : the profits per year are Rs (15 + 50) = Rs 65 Crs (USD 15.5 million) per year for the UNION. Even the best of corporate in Kolkata will not be earning this kind of money, what the UNION earns from 3 wheelers.
Why kill the golden goose?
The govt did try two half hearted attempts to please the green bench / lobby:
1. Quotations were sought for LPG kits. Md Kamran, the PVD Director, stated that the 60,000 (note: he is quoting a figure above 55,000 here) autos plying in the city will have to switch over to LPG. And as was expected, the tender process was scrapped 3 times, got extended twice. No results. None expected.
2. The Environment Ministry came out with a grant of Rs 4000 for each auto opting to convert. Of course, the Transport Dept, saw to it that this was never implemented.
A gazette notification, dated May 25, 2005, strictly prohibits the plying of auto-
rickshaws and three-wheeled passenger vehicles within the Kolkata
Metropolitan Area after September 1, 2005, unless they are LPG BS-2
emission standard compliant vehicles or LPG retrofitted vehicles.
That is, the order has prohibited the plying of auto-rickshaws from the city’s
thoroughfares until they converted to LPG. The deadline of September 9, 2005,
was extended to December 31, 2005, on the request of the state transport
department. But it is yet to be implemented in the city.
Hence when Ranjan Maity, the jt secy of Transport Department states, that the department is not in favour of conversion as it has found lot of demerits in old autos converting to LPG – WE UNDERSTAND MR MAITY. Why kill an income of Rs 65 Crs a year ?
Even if it kills Kolkatans, who cares ?? Global warming – what is that??
DO YOU ??
It is to be noted that autos have been successfully converted to LPG in cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai – hence the argument holds no water.
Owners of 2 stroke autos can take loans from banks to buy new 4 stroke vehicles after depositing Rs 30,000 as seed money. Out of it, Rs 10,000 will be provided by the govt as subsidy and Rs 8,000 will come from selling the old vehicle. (Meaning: The auto owner will have to deposit Rs 22,000). A new 4 stroke auto costs Rs 1.30 Lakh.
Subhas Dutta, noted environmentalist, rightly questions this flawed argument by pointing out “How can auto owners who could not convert to LPG by spending a few thousand rupees buy new vehicles by spending over a lakh?”
Obviously, this is hogwash, and should be treated with disdain as this insults the intelligence of even the dumbest person. Have we become so paralysed in our thinking process that whatever rubbish the Transport Dept throws our way, we have to swallow and live a sub-optimal life – because at the end of the day, this is what it is. If the fumes from kata tel is taking years away from our productive life, then the government of the day will have to pay dearly for it.
The UNION, it seems, is today working only for its members. It is mandated to look after the welfare of its members as per charter. So what, if the majority of citizens suffer because of foul air - the UNION is above the law and can do whatever it pleases to do. I am reiterating, the UNION makes mockery of governance – it has made BENGAL into a banana republic. PERIOD !!!
So what is behind this “U Turn”? MONEY – dear friends, what else? And UNION knows welfare of members only means one thing – pocketing money any which way.
THE ECONOMICS: (read Telegraph article dated 28th June,08)
3 wheeler business is run by the goons, for the goons and controlled by the ultimate goon – the UNION. There are 2 major income stream.
STREAM 1: PROTECTION MONEY. There are approximately 55,000 3 wheelers in the city, more than half of which are unregistered. When Delhi banned 2 stroke 3 wheelers, many of the “scrap” found its way to Kolkata – unregistered. Each of these 55,000 autos pays the CITU Union under which they are organized Rs 5 to Rs 10 EVERYDAY, depending on the route they take. The yearly intake is a staggering Rs 19.80 Crs (@Rs10/day) to Rs 9.9 Crs (@Rs 5 per day). The Telegraph pegs it at around Rs 15 Crs per year.
STREAM 2: ILLEGAL SALE OF KATA TEL. The role kata tel plays in killing breathable air has been discussed in Part 1. This will deal with the economics of it. The sale of kata tel is illegal, yet there are more than 250 “outlets” selling kata tel openly in and around the city, some a few meters away from police stations. Of course, the palms have been greased, otherwise this flagrant violation could not be possible. The police and the transport department can never find these “outlets”, yet Telegraph, Times of India, Indian Express and even citizens have seen these “outlets” operate brazenly, not even having to shift premises – so sure are they of their “untouchability” factor.
The Telegraph, in its investigative article on July 14th, estimates that at least (conservative estimate) 150,000 litres of kata tel is sold in Kolkata alone to 3 wheelers. Which means, at least 50% of this, 75,000 litres of petrol, has to be siphoned off daily to run this racket. These volumes are huge, and needs a corporate style logistics to run this efficiently. Kata tel is sold at Rs 35 per litre, making it a business of Rs 190 Crs per year.
I am estimating at least a 30% plus gross margin, the returns are Rs 50 Crs per year.
Adding Stream 1 & 2 : the profits per year are Rs (15 + 50) = Rs 65 Crs (USD 15.5 million) per year for the UNION. Even the best of corporate in Kolkata will not be earning this kind of money, what the UNION earns from 3 wheelers.
Why kill the golden goose?
The govt did try two half hearted attempts to please the green bench / lobby:
1. Quotations were sought for LPG kits. Md Kamran, the PVD Director, stated that the 60,000 (note: he is quoting a figure above 55,000 here) autos plying in the city will have to switch over to LPG. And as was expected, the tender process was scrapped 3 times, got extended twice. No results. None expected.
2. The Environment Ministry came out with a grant of Rs 4000 for each auto opting to convert. Of course, the Transport Dept, saw to it that this was never implemented.
A gazette notification, dated May 25, 2005, strictly prohibits the plying of auto-
rickshaws and three-wheeled passenger vehicles within the Kolkata
Metropolitan Area after September 1, 2005, unless they are LPG BS-2
emission standard compliant vehicles or LPG retrofitted vehicles.
That is, the order has prohibited the plying of auto-rickshaws from the city’s
thoroughfares until they converted to LPG. The deadline of September 9, 2005,
was extended to December 31, 2005, on the request of the state transport
department. But it is yet to be implemented in the city.
Hence when Ranjan Maity, the jt secy of Transport Department states, that the department is not in favour of conversion as it has found lot of demerits in old autos converting to LPG – WE UNDERSTAND MR MAITY. Why kill an income of Rs 65 Crs a year ?
Even if it kills Kolkatans, who cares ?? Global warming – what is that??
DO YOU ??
Monday, July 14, 2008
AIR QUALITY IN KOLKATA ... PART 1 of 3
PART 1 : AIR QUALITY IN KOLKATA
The air we breathe is a killer. This fact is stated by Dr. Dipak Chakraborty, the chief scientist of Pollution Control Board (PCB).
He goes on to state the following statistics:
Kolkata’s annual average RPM count is 105 micrograms per cubic meter (mcg / m3) and the permissible limit is only 60 micrograms.
The average benzene level ( a known carcinogenic) in the city is on the rise – from 29.15 mcg / m3 in 2004-05 to 35.58 mcg / m3 in 2006-07. This is twice the permissible limit set by the WHO.
The report is that much more credible, coming as it is from a government source and from a very respectable organization – PCB.
Kolkata tops the list of lung cancer victims among Indian cities – at least 10,000 people die in the city every year because of pollution, mainly caused by vehicles. Twisha Lahiri, a scientist who used to work at the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI), studied the effects of urban pollution on health, and stated that the rate of lung cancer in Kolkata is 18.4 per 100,000 people compared to 11 to 13 in other metropolis.
Two of the most notorious pollutants are 1) Three wheelers (autos) and 2) diesel run vehicles.
ADB (Asian Development Bank) study in 2005 stated that 2 stroke 3 wheelers (more than 80% of 3 wheelers in Kolkata are 2 stroke variety), belch over 98,000 tons of pollutants a year – the highest amongst all transport modes. The study was done on the premise that they were using petrol.
Poor ADB – they cannot be faulted for knowing what is kata tel – the dangerous illegal cocktail that goes in as fuel in our 3 wheelers – exacerbating the pollution levels manifold. A typical kata tel composition : 25% kerosene + 25% naptha + 45% petrol + 5% other impurities. This adulterated concoction was tested in Jadavpur University, and stated that naptha increases the risk of cancer exponentially due to the presence of cancer causing compounds such as polyaromatic hydrocarbon and benzene.
And to put things in perspective : 150,000 litres of kata tel is sold in Kolkata, EVERYDAY.
Diesel driven vehicles also are prime culprits for the polluted air by emitting finer particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. Chief Scientist of PCB, Dr Chakraborty stated, “ What is most dangerous is that 74% of these particles is so small that they can enter deep into the lungs and cause maximum damage.”
Children are the biggest sufferers, with about a third of children in this city is stated to be suffering from upper respiratory tract related malaise including asthma, and missing schools more than other children in different parts of India.
CONCLUSION : The fundamental right of every citizen is to have access to clean air. This is being denied to us by the Transport Department, Govt of West Bengal - and love of the lucre seems to be the guiding motive. Otherwise the brazeness with which kata tel is being sold, the unregistered 3 wheelers are being run, is a reminder of the old days in a banana republic. Which reminds me - is there no legal remedy? Can there not be a cohesive legal action taken by the victims of pollution against the erring authorities who have taken away their life and livelihood?
While the state govt of the day is busy atrracting companies to the state, it seems oblivious to the larger picture. The businessmen will want to make money - sure, but they are also health consious and they will only bring their family and partake in the social development of the city / state, if they see a long term strategy, and yes - a clean environment in every sense. Otherwise, postings in Kolkata will be like postings in Dafur, Kabul - local talent pool leaving for greener pastures outside, and outsiders coming in sans family only to fill in gaps if the salary is high. And yes, mediocrity and low level business sense will prevail. Part 2 will deal with the POLITICS & GREED of kata tel & 3 wheelers.
The air we breathe is a killer. This fact is stated by Dr. Dipak Chakraborty, the chief scientist of Pollution Control Board (PCB).
He goes on to state the following statistics:
Kolkata’s annual average RPM count is 105 micrograms per cubic meter (mcg / m3) and the permissible limit is only 60 micrograms.
The average benzene level ( a known carcinogenic) in the city is on the rise – from 29.15 mcg / m3 in 2004-05 to 35.58 mcg / m3 in 2006-07. This is twice the permissible limit set by the WHO.
The report is that much more credible, coming as it is from a government source and from a very respectable organization – PCB.
Kolkata tops the list of lung cancer victims among Indian cities – at least 10,000 people die in the city every year because of pollution, mainly caused by vehicles. Twisha Lahiri, a scientist who used to work at the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI), studied the effects of urban pollution on health, and stated that the rate of lung cancer in Kolkata is 18.4 per 100,000 people compared to 11 to 13 in other metropolis.
Two of the most notorious pollutants are 1) Three wheelers (autos) and 2) diesel run vehicles.
ADB (Asian Development Bank) study in 2005 stated that 2 stroke 3 wheelers (more than 80% of 3 wheelers in Kolkata are 2 stroke variety), belch over 98,000 tons of pollutants a year – the highest amongst all transport modes. The study was done on the premise that they were using petrol.
Poor ADB – they cannot be faulted for knowing what is kata tel – the dangerous illegal cocktail that goes in as fuel in our 3 wheelers – exacerbating the pollution levels manifold. A typical kata tel composition : 25% kerosene + 25% naptha + 45% petrol + 5% other impurities. This adulterated concoction was tested in Jadavpur University, and stated that naptha increases the risk of cancer exponentially due to the presence of cancer causing compounds such as polyaromatic hydrocarbon and benzene.
And to put things in perspective : 150,000 litres of kata tel is sold in Kolkata, EVERYDAY.
Diesel driven vehicles also are prime culprits for the polluted air by emitting finer particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. Chief Scientist of PCB, Dr Chakraborty stated, “ What is most dangerous is that 74% of these particles is so small that they can enter deep into the lungs and cause maximum damage.”
Children are the biggest sufferers, with about a third of children in this city is stated to be suffering from upper respiratory tract related malaise including asthma, and missing schools more than other children in different parts of India.
CONCLUSION : The fundamental right of every citizen is to have access to clean air. This is being denied to us by the Transport Department, Govt of West Bengal - and love of the lucre seems to be the guiding motive. Otherwise the brazeness with which kata tel is being sold, the unregistered 3 wheelers are being run, is a reminder of the old days in a banana republic. Which reminds me - is there no legal remedy? Can there not be a cohesive legal action taken by the victims of pollution against the erring authorities who have taken away their life and livelihood?
While the state govt of the day is busy atrracting companies to the state, it seems oblivious to the larger picture. The businessmen will want to make money - sure, but they are also health consious and they will only bring their family and partake in the social development of the city / state, if they see a long term strategy, and yes - a clean environment in every sense. Otherwise, postings in Kolkata will be like postings in Dafur, Kabul - local talent pool leaving for greener pastures outside, and outsiders coming in sans family only to fill in gaps if the salary is high. And yes, mediocrity and low level business sense will prevail. Part 2 will deal with the POLITICS & GREED of kata tel & 3 wheelers.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
ABOUT ME
A bit about me. I am an ordinary tax paying citizen of Kolkata, India. I did my graduation from St Xaviers Kolkata and went to USA to do graduation.
And promptly after graduation, I came back to my beloved Kolkata to work here. However, other than state governmental apathy and mildly progressive overtures from Buddhadev Bhattacharya (our CM of Bengal), I am yet to see an iota of progressive thought at any level. Be it the city air (gasping and killing its citizens - will leave this for another post), or Singur (a botched attempt at industrialization), there has not been any long term thinking for the city or indeed the State (alas we do not have progressive Chinese communists here!!!).
And now we have MAMATA too !! I empathize with all you Bengalis out there, who have had to endure jibes from their Non-Bengali colleagues / friends about this phenomenon - MAMATA DI!!
And promptly after graduation, I came back to my beloved Kolkata to work here. However, other than state governmental apathy and mildly progressive overtures from Buddhadev Bhattacharya (our CM of Bengal), I am yet to see an iota of progressive thought at any level. Be it the city air (gasping and killing its citizens - will leave this for another post), or Singur (a botched attempt at industrialization), there has not been any long term thinking for the city or indeed the State (alas we do not have progressive Chinese communists here!!!).
And now we have MAMATA too !! I empathize with all you Bengalis out there, who have had to endure jibes from their Non-Bengali colleagues / friends about this phenomenon - MAMATA DI!!
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