7 Things Which Will Help in Reducing Pollution from Metros, but may not be liked by Our Politician's Vote Banks

Image Source: bbc.co.uk

Enough of debates we keep hearing about AAP's new odd/even rule to control the pollution due  to vehicles in Delhi. I am an engineer by qualification and with basic knowledge of science & technology, I do not think it this odd/even yield in anything but grabbing headlines on media and funny whatsApp joke. Here are my suggestion which I think can make a great effect in reducing Delhi's or any of our Metro city pollution woes through vehicle, however someone needs guts to implement it as this kind of tough measures may affects vote banks and attract protests in the name of democracy.

So, to curb pollution and take extre ordinary measures in today's extreme ordinary circumstances are:
1. Blanket Ban on any vehicle any type which is more than 10 years old: 

The maximum emission comes from old vehicle which in today's world fail to reduce emission beyond 10 years of it's life. This must include two wheeler as well. This may not be liked by many voters but this is the need of an hour as logically it won't be possible to prove how one is maintaining more than 10 years of vehicle within permissible limit of emission of all forms.

2. Restrict 2 cars each household: 

In major metro city especially this is common problem where I know few family who has 2 cars per person. So govt. must impose strict rule, for households who already purchased more than 2 cars Levy heavy surcharges on extra cars, and for future do not allow more than 2 cars to be registered in same address. If any family feels they need to own more than two cars then they should buy permit which should start from min. Rs. 5 lacs to own a 3rd car.

3. Increase Parking Charges Multi Fold:

Parking Charges of Rs. 10/50 or even 500 is nothing for people who owns luxury cars and no more deterrent for them not to take car along wherever they go. Make parking charges in tune of Rs. 3000 - Rs. 5000 in congested area and Rs. 2000 in other public areas. We have offices & real estate measured as per per sq. ft. of respective locations but not parking space. Many major cities like New York, London, Singapore, Hong Kong put hefty parking charges which sometimes even costlier than owning a car.


4. Hefty fine on illegal parking: 

Our most of roads are occupied by illegal parking especially with trucks/tempos/Shop Owners vehicle which congest the roads which in term increases traffic menace and hence extra emission as cars mostly comply on 1st & 2nd gear in such traffics. In fact in Mumbai the stretch of LBS Road, Saki Vihar Road's one lane is 24x7 occupied by illegal parking. Any illegal parking vehicle must be towed for 7 days with Rs. 10,000 fine

5. Double the Buses/Cabs/Autos and Promote Public Transport:. 

Ultimately this has to be improved to cater all sort of audiences to motivate them to use safe and clean public transport. Impose criminal offense on refusal of Auto. SMS or App based complaints on refusal and online suspension of license with SMS alert to cab/auto driver. Any repeat offender of more than 2 times license must be suspended for a year. Govt. must also fund the installation of GPS trackers in Auto/Taxi to improve security. The best way to implement is to make it as mandatory required specification pre-installed at cab/auto manufacturer itself.

6. Digitize the RTO and all Vehicle: 

A lot of country has moved to digitization of vehicles integrated with RTO via RFID sensors to curb traffic offenses & imply penalty. Make all fines in real time based on these sensors monitoring traffic offense. Make annual registrations subject to annual renewal by having kiosk at multiple place to have transparency on fine collected & zero leakage.

7. Freight Corridor to avoid heavy vehicle mixing with Inner Roads:

All major cities must have transport corridor which helps exclusively to carry on cities supplies and it must not overlap with public traffic. The corridor also must carry equipment to check on emission from all vehicle in real time and freed from multiple check post to avoid long jams. 

If we are serious about pollution these are the steps which must need to be implemented strictly as well as holistically for cleaner tomorrow otherwise we will again land up in never ending debates on who is doing what to grab headlines with zero effect on ground.

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Why I am with Anna ?

Image Source: Wikipedia.org

Since from the beginning of this year a lot has been talked and written about the Anti Corruption Movement which Anna and his team has started. Anna comes from a very relevant background to start something huge like this.

A retired Army Driver who lives a very ordinary life is small village - Ralegaon Siddhi, Near Nashik which was one of the many villages of India plagued by acute poverty, deprivation, a fragile ecosystem, neglect and hopelessness. Anna Hazare took it up as a challenge and converted the same village to self dependent with sufficient water, electricity & agriculture facilities. He managed to prohibit Illegal Alcohol Business and started Grain Bank to provide food security to Village and further work on programs such as: Watershed Development Program, Milk Production, Education, Collective Marriage etc... Literally all the programs which ideally need to be done by elected MP or MLA of that region.

His protest against corruption started long back in 1991 against timber merchants, land owners, money lenders, and corrupt forest official which further spread all across Maharashtra which compelled Maharashtra to implement the RTI Act. The same act was brought nationally and we all know the power of it.

It really make sense for him to start this Satyagraha in the name of organisation “India Against Corruption” because we all know corruption today is at all time high. It has so much become part of our society that we even budget some money for corruption as we know that nothing will work, nothing will happen. One has to pay if they want things to be done from getting a basic license, to passport, to any possible thing around. Whom do common men turn to? Political Class??? They call them self Sevak, Karya Karta but the way they roam their SUVs in front of our eyes and make a mockery on us that how powerful they are. I am born and brought up in Jamshedpur, studied in Aurangabad, lived in Pune & Mumbai and through out my life I had not seen any political workers polite and courteous to people. All I seen is muscle power and arrogance even if they are not elected.

I refuse to believe our country is largest democracy. We have election where the % of voters turn out is 56-57% (General Election 2009), this doesn’t include numerous number of voters whose name is not in voting list who have moved from one place to another or failed to product some documents (I am one of them). Now we all know every political party and their leaders play divide and caste politics. I myself seen in Bihar my own relatives were voting for someone who they don’t trust but doesn’t vote for right candidate because he belongs to other caste. In election we don’t hear what kind of person is he: what we only hear Dalit, Muslim, Hindu etc. And yes these politicians spends loads and loads of money to buy votes and woo voters. The money comes from corporate in the name of donation whose favour they return once they come in power and every darn person in this country know this. But now it has reached to a limit where we need revolution.  Most funny part, this is the only country I believe where several parties fight election against each other and once the result is out; they suddenly start supporting the same contender in return of some favour. (e.g. NCP, TMC, CPI etc). Is this democratic?

We can’t expect revolution from this constitution which is being always used as a shield by politicians for letting them do anything they would like to. We talk about law and constitution whereas most of the law is still exist since pre-independent era.

We need someone who these politicians should be scared/worried or accountable of. As a common man when I see these people I will always prefer to be on the side of Anna & Group, just for one reason at least they managed to push politicians on the edge.

I read about some intellects who writes some very idealistic article but I don’t see the situation is idealistic anymore. Even I have problem with arrogance and Team Anna being anti-congress but if they are behaving like this, it’s only congress itself are responsible for it. It all happened in front of us, when in Feb govt. took the decision itself to draft the bill with Team Anna and Congress Members (mind it no coalition members or opposition) and then they them self started changing their stances later by under estimating Team Anna’s strength.

For our group of intellects writers/thinkers, sometime it’s become fad to say something against populist movement; people talks about let’s make judiciary strong, police efficient and honest and strengthening various other existing machineries; but please tell me? Is it practical in current scenario? The corruption is in the root of every system of our country now; from small things like filing an FIR, paying fine for traffic offense, passport offices etc. It looks like system itself is designed to promote corruption. To get simple things done, processes are so complex that one don't have any choice but to resolute in giving bribes.

So what’s wrong in having an independent body with a mixture of govt., judges & civil society to monitor and investigate all complains which is the pain points of all the tax payers? We have example like CAG which lately proved how effective they are in pointing govt. their short comings and accountabilities. I know Lokpal alone may not solve the problem but it will put a lot of system in order. It will create awakening, make people aware and empowered that at least they have someone to turn to. Right now no one care and now is accountable.

That’s why I am with Anna to pressurise this so called Democratic Govt.

At the end the corruption first needs to be eradicated from Micro & Individual level but we have to have responsible government who must come clean and accountable for our situation.

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Abuse, That has faces!

Mumbai, a Maximum City, a city which embrace everyone in it’s chaotic culture. It has quite a lot of thing which always amuses me, one of which is- Political Party Hoardings. An innovative idea devised by all politician to praise them self, their leaders, wish them birthdays, celebrate ganesh puja, any occasions... you will see a dirty looking rectangular/square shaped huge banners and hoarding filled with numerous most ugly people you had ever seen in your life. I am saying it is Mumbai’s idea to put a political hoarding coz Mumbai is the first city I had seen putting it across. I have grown in Jamshedpur and never saw anything like this; I did my engineering from Aurangabad; it had some occasional banner only at the time of some election or rally, and then I lived 1 year in Pune where again this was not that regular a culture. I also occasionally happened to travel places like Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore but again never saw 100s of banners/hoarding on roads showing every tom, dick and harry belong to political parties of that respective locality and yes, never miss the father figure poster of their high command/Boss who are flowering blessing to all these ugly smiling faces in their banner.

It might have started in Mumbai, because Mumbai is Bollywood hub and banners & hoarding been a quite integral part of this city. As a Marketing person my idea of outdoor hoarding is Promoting something which enhances it’s brand image to Audience which lives in that particular locality and it always suppose to look glamorous and attractive. And then we see all these political hoardings, literally from every parties ranging from largest to smallest. The typical format of hoarding is—From top they show their top most leader, the middle order shows regional/divisional leader and bottom are colleagues and key or say strategic supporters and not to miss the bottom right (sometimes it is also on top right corner), a Person with full fledged colgate smile on their face... the sponsor of that hoarding. The Body Copy and Content are usually – Welcome & Birthday Wishes of their leaders even if that leader is not based out of that area. Its their way to show affection and loyality to their leader. Their arrogance can be seen in hoarding when they put for Ganesha Chaturthi, wehere lord itself shown with small picture and all these morons with over sized dick headed images; and ugly ones, really ugly to core. Some with bad beards, with dirty smiles and some try to show glow in face and eyes by doing some photoshop which looks like someone made a desperate effort to look good as they do in some cheap matrimonial service.

Now let me take you through that how as a citizen what I feel, and I am sure the feelings will be same across a lot of people for sure. My feel is to abuse; the moment I look at them I just say or sometimes when I am around with some people, I Just think of abusing them and I think aloud. Earlier I used to be bother seeing all this ugly faces but now I look forward for it. In our typical day-today commuting the moment you take out the car, you are never so sure how long its going to be to reach anywhere you intended to reach. The surrounding scares you, everywhere there is dust constructions, blockages, jams, repair and that too for ages. Its been 10 years for me in Mumbai and stil I see that 4 km. Stretch of JVLR is some of the other construction going on. Sometimes it takes 90 minutes to travel just 10 k.m. From 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. you cant drive because of peak traffics of vehincle and from 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. you can’t drive because of heavy vehicle on your main highways. 


So, what I do- Visualise this- I am stuck in traffic, I see everywhere people stressed and tenses, I see this city getting uglier day by day and then I see at the same time a poster/banner/hoarding of some party and all those morons in that poster smiling (which looks like laughing out loud) as us. Telling us, it’s us who did this to your life. Even after paying tax, not doing anything illegal if this is what I deserve it creates huge anger inside me and I just want to vent off. So what I do- I abuse, abuse as dirty as I can. If I am in alone in car, I look at all the ugly faces in the poster- I abuse loud and I feel much better. It doesn’t make any sense but so does plenty of things happening around also doesn’t make any sense. I am not superstition but would like to believe, if abuse like this affects them I will be more than happy to achieve that sadistic pleasure to curse & abuse them more. Practice it, it really helps you to remove stress and anger.

Lastly, I thanks for putting their Ugly Faced Hoardings, coz it gives my Abuse a Face an identity a target to try my dart.

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We're Like That Only !!!!!! -- a thought after 1 yr. of terror attack in bombay.

As I write this, it is the 26/11 “day”. There has been a gradual media build-up over the last week, culminating in Thursday’s intense newspaper focus. I presume this is true of the television networks as well, but I no longer bother watching. The print media is full of interviews, post-mortems, analyses, etc, among which, are a few articles comparing the “then and now” scenarios. How then a lot of us were angry, motivated and ready for action. And how now, all of that seems to have dissipated.
I have taken this little time off in the middle of my weekend to think and introspect. The door doesn’t need to be shut with “do not disturb” orders as I am home alone, and it is mid-night so none can bother on my cellphone too.

I was in Bombay only that day; having dinner & watching movie from my collection and I got a call from my friend Anish as he was enquiring whether I am fine or not as it is very likely for me to hang around in place like Leopold café and café mondiger of South Bombay. Just after knowing from him about the incident I suddenly switched on news channel and saw the smoking Taj on all the news media. I called few people whom I wanted to know whether they are rest assured. Though the company had decided to let its employees take the day off, we proudly kept all our set-ups open; there was seething anger and this was our way of answering the terrorists back and not letting terrorism win and cow us down. 

I didn’t join any group or cause. Though, I didn’t know anyone directly who had died, we all knew someone who had lost a friend or family; during those days, most of us would have willingly given an arm and a leg to help and change things. Most people I knew were angry, especially at the politicians but more at the “system’ itself. 

A month later, a foreigner colleague wanted to see the “sites” and we took him to see Leopold and the Taj. These areas were teeming with tourists. 

Then came the elections, where even though some candidates tried to capitalize on this incident, nothing much really happened. Voting rates were pathetic. I didn’t vote as well. 

And life went on. 

A gruelling 12 hour daily schedule, the commute, the social responsibilities, the friends, meetings, conferences, domestic and international travels...all of these eventually pushed all the November angst aside. The media in the meantime moved on to other issues as well; swine flu, elections, Rakhi Sawant, Koda and Shilpa Shetty’s wedding. 
The only reminders were the irritants; the inability to use Arthur Road because of Qasab’s trial and the added security at the hotels. 

Recent all the newspaper coverage has brought back a little of that November angst, but it is highly muted. The blatant use of this occasion for self-promotion hasn’t helped the cause much. And the mudslinging among the police officers as well as between them and the politicians, which seems to have reached a crescendo today, has just made things worse. And I know that I am not the sole person in the city thinking along these lines… in fact, most people I know seem to be in the same boat as me. 
I have a lot of questions in my mind when I think about it. What to do? Politicians are back with same politics of language, castes and no one is still bother about real issues. Police force is un-divided as their own senior people have confusions on roles and responsibilities of cops. The infrastructure and resource of defense is pretty much same except few things as frisking & drama of checking cars bottom at malls and hotels. 

Does that make us insensitive boors? Are we self-centered, insular creatures? Is this a typical Mumbai problem, or is this what happens universally, after events as shocking as these? During those rare moments where I am able to be with myself, without being disturbed by people, phones and email, I wonder...are our daily lives so filled with tasks that we forget to feel and act on those feelings? What is right? What should we be doing? Was a world without a “to do list” and where the word “multitasking” didn’t exist, a better one for empathy and caring? 

I don’t know. Do you?

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