[sustran] Emissions from Trucks in New Delhi

[Dinesh Mohan]

Eric's suspicions are well placed. Such decisions are based on an
upper-class' concern with air not people. With mythologies, not facts
and numbers. With internet shopping, not the hurly burly of trade and
living.

   * Decision based on the assertion that 65,000 trucks will be barred
     from Delhi. On the first day of enforcement they could find less
     than 3,000 trucks to stop!
   * Decision based on the assertion that trucks coming from out of
     Delhi are dirtier than those plying in Delhi. A study released by
     CRRI yesterday claims the opposite! (Should be obvious - only those
     trucks will be used for long distance travel whose engines are in
     good condition. Dilapidated old trucks are good for local work.
     Simple capitalism at work.)
   * Trucks should not enter Delhi so that the decision makers have
     cleaner air. They don't care if the trucks pollute poorer people
     outside the legal boundaries of Delhi.
   * All "clean air" decisions in Delhi target public transport and
     taxis, make them more expensive and reduce their  availability. Not
     a single decision targets car owners.

In the name of freedom and sustainability neo-fascist ideologies have
got more credibility after 9/11.

Dinesh Mohan

Eric Britton wrote:

>
>
> Chris Zegras kindly shares with us the news: “More than 65,000 trucks
> and other goods vehicles will be barred from entering Delhi after the
> Court order is enforced. “
>
>
>
> Hmm.  Is this really good news?  Am I the only one around here who is
> a priori suspicious of deus ex machina solutions?  Or is this just one
> more example of egregious sub-optimization (the grand specialty of
> transportation policy all too often, I am afraid).
>
>
>
> Please someone explain to me what I am wrong (again).
>
>
>
> Eric Britton
>
>
>
> PS. Take a vacation and put your weight on what is without a doubt the
> right side.  Pop into http://ngroups.com/stockholm and give your
> counsel on the survey behind the Message to Johannesburg.  It will
> take three minutes of your time, and we need you.  (And you just may
> need us).  ;-)
>


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Dinesh Mohan
Henry Ford Professor for Biomechanics and Transportation Safety
Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Programme
Room MS 808, Main Building
Indian Institute of Technology
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