[sustran] UN Workshop on I&M of vehicles

[kisan mehta]

----- Original Message -----
From: kisan mehta <kisansbc at vsnl.com>
To: sustran-discuss <sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org>
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2001 8:28 PM
Subject: UN Workshop on I&M of vehicles


Dear Sustran Friends,

Many encouraging responses have come particularly
from Eric Britton, Todd Litman and Craig Townsend.
We are incorporating them in our presentation.

The paper is still under preparation and we hope to
send to the sponsors by Thu 29th. We are venturing to
circulate and welcome suggestions.  It isstill not in
the final form so please pardon incoherent submission.
Looking into Eric.s & Todd's hints to-day. Thanks a lot.

Kisan and Priya

>
> > Introduction
> >
> > The Save Bombay Committee (SBC) is a `not for profit'
> public trust and a registered society of members set up
> in the year 1972. The objects are agitating for protection
> of the environment, conservation of the finite natural
> sources, civil rights and equitable access to all living
> beings to the natural resources of the region, country
> and the earth.
> >
> > The SBC takes up issues of regional and urban
> planning and development, gender equity, appropriate management of solid
and liquid waste through wise use
of limited resources to ensure minimum standard of
public health and to reduce waste.  It collaborates
with other national and international voluntary
organisations in opposing mega-projects that affect
the environment and local people. It campaigns for
elimination and reduction of toxic substances in
private and public life so as to reduce air pollution.
Some of the campaigns include promoting
chemical free sustainable agriculture, reducing
reliance on petroleum based products in the firm
belief that the air quality can be maintained by
reducing the use of petroleum based products.
> >
>Air quality in  a region can be maintained by
managing solid and liquid wastes in an
environmentally friendly manner by reducing
emissions to air as well as by controlling and
monitoring the use of gadgets and equipment
relying on petroleum based products.  The SBC
campaigns for elimination of Persistent Organic
Pollutants (POPs). It has developed and
promotes Integrated Solid Waste Management
Programme  (ISWMP) aimed at 100%
reutilisation of solid waste as well as lobbies
with  the authorities for adopting environmentally
safe treatment and discharge of waste water.
It agitates for pedestrian oriented public transport
sustainable by the community.

> We shall restrict our submissions to the need
for reducing emissions to air as well as to the
development of a policy on inspection and
maintenance of vehicles and to its implementation.
Vehicle emissions and exhausts have become a
major contributor of pollution to air on which all
living beings sustain.
> >
> > History

> Though India was amongst the very few nations
represented by the Prime Minister in the 1972
Stockholm Conference, it was only in 1978 that
the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, conceding to the
citizen pressure, constituted an independent
Ministry for Environment. This single action
brought a seachange in approach to  deteriorating
environment.  The Ministry has constituted a
Central Pollution Control Board.  Practically all
the states of India have their own Minister for
Environment and Pollution Control Board.
> >
> The Central (Federal) Ministry for Environment
and Forests and the Central Pollution Control
Board (CPCB) lay down standards and norms
for maintaining environment quality however
they are brought into being much later than their
right time.  Relaxations galore making a mockery
of pollution control. Substantial number of norms
do not meet the citizen expectations.
Implementation is erratic and half hearted so
even if a policy exists, it remains on paper. State
ministries have not yet come to grips with the
need for protecting the environment.
> >
>  Voluntary organisations and concerned citizens,
often, take recourse to the Federal and State apex
judiciary for obtaining policy implementation or for
issuance of directives to the federal and/or state
governments on issues not unambiguously settled.
While the highest courts have, admitting Public
Interest Litigations, issued specific directives
upholding the citizen demand, implementation
thereof has not been encouraging.
> >
> The SBC has taken up issues from time to time
on containing the pollution caused by motorised
transport for the movement of the man as well
as of goods and services.  It firmly believes
guaranteeing a quality of life by reducing
reliance on petroleum based vehicles to be
more effective than subsequent correcting
of the degraded environment brought out
by motorised vehicles.
> >
> Burgeoning urban centres of the developing
countries raise peculiar problems not amenable
to set drawing board solutions.  Every  large
urban centre, rushing to becoming megalopolis,
has typical problems that cannot be solved in
an environmentally satisfactory manner without
looking into and managing fringe aspects that
affect the growth of urban centres. Encouraging
success achieved, if at all, at one centre is not
replicable pari passu to another centre except
that that particular success may provide clues
on measures and methods to be tried. One
factor, though, is common to cities of the
developing countries that they are, unlike
cities in the western world, growing at a fast
pace with basic infrastructure disappointingly
legging far behind.
> >
> Though many of the SBC campaigns have a
regional, state and national significance, we wish
to dwell on issues that face Mumbai which had a
population of 11.91 million in March 2001 staying
on 466.35 sq km of landmass.  This gives an
average density of 25,538 persons per sq km,
unheard of anywhere in the world. Average built
up space per capita is 2.5 sq m with about 0.4
ha of open space for 1,000 population.
> >
>About 65% of Mumbai residents are
condemned to staying in slums with no or
inadequate sanitary and washing facilities.
Many of the slum colonies are located in
areas abutting major roads and lanes as
well as on pavements themselves.  Being so
close to movement of vehicles and men, slum
dwellers are the first to suffer the consequence
of  vehicular emissions  and noise.
 >
> We cannot avoid referring to the publication
Environment State of Greater Mumbai, 1999-2000'
brought out by the Municipal Corporation of Greater
Mumbai (MCGM).  Every large municipality is
required to publish studies giving the State of
Environment. Some data used in our
presentation are from this publication while
others are collated by the speaker.
> >
> "The total length of roads in Mumbai is 1,808.28
km comprising of  572.05 km in the Island City
(area 70.27 sq km having 3.16 million residents),
and 1,236.23  km in the Suburbs (area 396.08 sq
km having 6.75 million residents).   For ensuring
smooth flow of traffic, a project to construct 55
flyover bridges was undertaken by Maharashtra
State Government, out of which majority are
completed and the balance expected to be ready
by mid 2002.  Total number of vehicles in Mumbai
is 9,70,674, showing a compound growth rate of
7% per annum over the 12 years period.  Air
pollution load due to auto exhaust is recorded at
551 Metric Tons Per Day (MTPD) comprising of
SO2, NO2, CO, SPM and hydrocarbon.
Concentration levels of NO2, RSP and CO
have exceeded the National Ambient Air
Quality Standards (NAAQS) laid down by the
CPCB. Studies carried out by the MCGM
during a period when  vehicles were off the
road following a strike to work indicates
overall 25% reduction in air pollution levels.
> >
> "The MCGM monitors the ambient air quality.
Air quality of certain gaseous pollutants and
suspended particulate matter is evaluated and
compared with the NAAQS norms.  Air quality
levels of SO2 and NO2 appear to be within the
limits whereas SPM levels exceed the standards
everywhere.   Air pollution index comprising of
three air pollutants, SO2, NO2 and SPM ranges
 ranges from 22 to 136 for air monitoring sites.
Noise levels measured in decibels (dB) exceed
the laid down standards throughout Mumbai,
many areas developing higher decibels at night.
> >
> "The Island City and Suburbs have 13,118 and
24,449 industries respectively totaling to 37,567
industries and that accounts for about 42% of the
total industries of the state of Maharashtra. Total
daily air pollution emission is 817.5 MTPD in
which emission from the industry is 304.MTPD.
This goes to show that motorised vehicles are
the major polluter of air.
> >
> "Urban environmental problems contribute to
day to day struggle for existence to the residents
of Mumbai. A few population groups like children,
women, slum and pavement dwellers, workers in
the small and large industries, the handicapped
and senior residents have to bear the brunt  of
the adverse effects of environmental pollution.
It is observed that infants and children are at
greater risk of dying due to environment
related diseases such as diarrhea, cholera and
respiratory and cardiovascular tract infections
as well as cancer.   Some of the most common
environment related occupational diseases are
silicosis, byssinosis, pesticide poisoning, skin
diseases as well as noise induced hearing
impairment and loss."
> >
> What is definitely not conceded in public is that
high pollution levels affect more intensively and
directly living beings in congested areas.  With
very high congestion prevailing in Mumbai and
extremely limited open space the impact can
be more disastrous than the mere statistics
show.  Again large number of residents cannot
afford expensive medical treatment so their
ailments do not come on record.  Risk to
illhealth is decidedly higher that what comes
to the notice of the authorities.  The State and
MCGM recently cut down public health facilities
having budget sanctions on the grounds of
escalating  health care costs and diversion of
funds to flyover and road construction to remain
in tune with consumerism developed following
the World Bank insisting on globalisation and
free access to markets. .
>
>  Motor vehicles were required to be brought before
the Motor Vehicle Registration  Authority once in a
year when payment of annual vehicle registration
tax became due. The authority then could refuse
to  renew the licence to be on the road to a
polluting vehicle. The annual payment of tax has
since been replaced by  one time tax equivalent
to the tax amount becoming payable in 17 years.
This one time tax has taken away the annual
checking the condition of a vehicle.  There is no
provision even for scrapping of a vehicle on the
expiry of 17 years.   So a vehicle can be on the
road polluting the atmosphere till the time the
owner decides to do away with that polluting
vehicle.   Car prices being high, they continue
to be used by the owner.  They go to smaller
towns causing more pollution as the authorities
have no means to monitor in smaller human
centres.  The common belief is that motorised
vehicles have a deathless life and go out of use
only when the aggregate resale value of
components becomes higher than the real cost
of a running vehicle.
> >
> Following the demand of the SBC and voluntary
organisations, the authorities directed that every
vehicle shall be checked for exhaust emission
every three months and an official tag shall be
appropriately displayed.  This brought some
sense of responsibility amongst vehicle owners
however it was soon relaxed due to the car lobby.
No checking exists after the authorities relaxed. Sporadic checking on road
cannot track down
every delinquent vehicle.   They then directed
gasoline supplier to fill the tank only after the
owner produces the `pollution under control'
certificate.  Gasoline dealers do not have the
time and machinery to check up a certificate
and its validity.  So we are back to square one
of granting to vehicle owners an unrestricted
licence to pollute the environment.
> >
>Vehicle owners go to unauthorised roadside
garages for engine  trouble. The garages
replace a broken or failed  part by a worn out
part, most likely pilfered or duplicated. After a
few days the vehicle starts causing more
pollution that it ever was doing.  There is no check
on garages or roadside garages and mechanics
who create confidence in the uninitiated driver by
restarting the engine failed on way to work place.
The need for periodic checking and servicing of
the vehicle is largely not accepted by the owners.
> >
> Noise from vehicles has a more depressing impact
on the community.  In addition to continuous rattleing
caused by old cars, drivers continue to honk constantly
with or without need.  They have not considered it
necessary driving without honking.  Quite often
vehicles are fitted with electronic horns making the
hell of a noise.   Many are fitted with shrilling alarm
which activate even on accidental touching by a
passerby.  Vehicles are parked on pavements
hindering the movement of passers by.  A police
officer taking action for parking in `no parking' zone
does not take cognizance of pavement parking
because his authority is to book drivers parking
on a carriageway.
> >
> Traffic jams and idling at the traffic signals is a
common occurance. One statistics indicates that
11% of the fuel is wasted in engine idling.  An idling
engine relatively throws out higher emission than a
vehicle running at the optimum speed.   Concepts
of road management and road pricing are
conspicuous by their total absence so vehicles
are found  parked everywhere. To promote car
ownership, the authorities extend all concessions
topped by no charge for use of roads for driving
and parking.  In constrast, the authorities ake
away about 15% of the fare the public road
transport service charges to the commuter.
Financial institutions extend loan upto 100% of
the cost for personal cars at practically zero
interest.  On the other hand,  large number of
people needing finance for feeding the family
have no hope of securing a loan even at the
commercial rate of interest.
> >
> The acceptance of the World Bank/IMF dictats on globalisation and free
market access has resulted in
making a personal car freely  available. Practically
all global car actors have set up their shop in India
and constantly enter into cut throat competition to
woo the citizen with all types of freebees.   It is
that Mumbai has much larger number of cars than
it can conveniently sustain.  Road construction and maintenance is the
obligatory duty of the
Municipality and it tries to meet this  obligation
without expecting any contribution from car owners.
Sealocked Mumbai cannot construct roads to meet
the annual 8.5% increase in car population.
North-south movement between residences and
crowded business district causes serious problems
to the car owner as well but mainly to non-owners and
pedestrians.

>We have constantly  represented  to the authorities
on the need of levying heavy  annual charges at
rates commensurate with the level of congestion
to cut down nonessential vehicles from entering
into crowded areas but with no success.
> >
> Heavy duty commercial vehicles are another menace.
There are no restrictions on entry, parking or docking
(including for carrying out repairs) anywhere.  Though
wholesale trading activities are shifted outside
Mumbai's geographical limits, constantly  smoking
commercial vehicles continue to be in Mumbai,
possibly because of the proximity of the port to the
business district and location of large warehousing
space near to the port and business district.   We
have proposed phasing out of warehouses from
the Island City now that wholesale markets are
shifted but with no success.
> >
> Mumbai is connected to urban centres as far
as 1500 km away by private and public intercity bus
and taxies.   Large number of buses visit Mumbai
and enter into domestic and ecologically fragile
areas causing severe hardship to residents and
traffic jams. These buses contribute substantially to
pollution as well as congestion in inner areas.  The
SBC proposal to set up intercity bus termini on the
periphery of the Island City has not met with any
success.
> >
>No comprehensive Inspection and Maintenance
Policy exists.   So many norms and directives
issued by diverse authorities create more
confusion than order.   Road construction and
maintenance cannot keep pace with the growing
number of vehicles.  Mumbai with ecceedingl high
population density per sq km cannot spare space
for roads and infrastructure facilities. Despite
suggestions from the World Bank,  road
construction is not physically and financially
possible. Shifting of large section of residents is
not possible because of massive  gigantic
resettlement and rehabilitation problems.
> >
>Two sections of the community have to bear
the brunt of unrestricted ingress of motorised two,
three and four wheelers vehicles.   Slum dwellers
face the pollution from the motorised vehicles
while pedestrians and non-owners of vehicles
face the threat of being killed or seriously injured
on the road by poorly maintained vehicles.  Slum
dwellers are exposed to cardio-vascular diseases
because they inhale the toxic gases generated
by diesel and gasoline driven vehicles.   No wonder
that Mumbai alternates between the first or second
rank in the world for killing or injuring human beings
on road.
> >
>Comprehensive Inspection and Maintenance
Policy to ensure minimum quality of life is
inconceivable in the foreseeable future.
Whatever have come as sporadic norms are
difficult to implement.  Foolproof  implementation
does not exist and can probably not be forced
upon. Large number of first time car buyers and
owners have not visualised the total responsibility
going with the ownership of  a vehicle.   Creating
artificial conditions to meet with the dictats of
multilateral agencies cannot take citizens far in
assuring environmentally safe conditions to the people.  Observance of the
Policy cannot be assured from
the top.  Citizens using personal vehicles for self
travel or for providing services are not always aware
of the dangers of the non-implementation of half
hearted  regulations.
> >