By Dilip Cherian
The National Green Tribunal’s ruling banning vehicles more than 15 years old in Dilli is a valiant bid to curbing pollution and improve the air quality, already the worst among the world’s large cities. Many have applauded the decision, believing that’s it is a drastic but necessary step that was long overdue. Dilli would only be following what many cities with congestion problems are doing across the world — encouraging drivers to replace their old, polluting vehicles initially maybe just the commercial ones, thankfully. So is it really the end of the road for nearly one-third of the 8.4 million vehicles on Dilli’s choked roads?
Here the answer gets complicated. For one, experts are unsure whether taking old cars (eventually) and other vehicles off the road will improve the air quality in the capital. These comprise only 6 per cent of the cars and three per cent of motorized two-wheelers. The ruling will also be difficult to implement, as there is no attempt to improve public transport which can be offered as an alternative to those who are likely to be affected.
Even the Union Road Transport Ministry seemed taken aback by the ruling, and believes it is unfair on law-abiding owners. Such radical steps are likely to be unpopular, and Dilli is wondering whether the authorities will risk enforcing it before the Assembly elections that are due soon.
Uncool winter
By this time of the year, Dilliwallas should all be wrapped up in woollens and other sartorial trappings of winter, but that’s not happened yet. The chill is yet to descend even if we are well into the winter season. The unusually warm spell, says the weatherman, is likely to last well into the month. The Met department has blamed the usual “culprit” — western disturbance — for the abnormally high temperatures we are experiencing.
These fluctuations in Delhi temperatures have been noticed throughout the year. Delhi is known for its extreme climate — very hot summers (April-July) and cold winters (December-January). Given that the monsoon too was a damp squib, the “uncool” winter is only in keeping with this disconcerting weather pattern. Sure there is a nip in the air in the early morning or late night, but we’ve not yet felt the need to snuggle up in comforters or switch on the room heaters or even reach out for moongphali, nuts, gajaks and other delights of this season. The only upside is that we are not complaining about the fog yet and miserable bone-chilling weeks without the sun!
Crime & punishment
Dilli experienced its own “Peepli Live” moment when the video of two sisters from the nearby town of Rohtak beating up their alleged molesters in a bus went viral. Dilli has been witness to some truly shocking crimes against women in recent times, and this particular incident too enraged citizens, and furious debates played out again — in the media and the social media platforms. The authorities fearing the angry public reactions were quick to swing into action, by arresting the three men involved in the incident, and suspending the bus driver and conductor. The Haryana government announced bravery awards for the “braveheart” sisters.
But it took just a couple of days before the story started unraveling. It now appears that’s there’s more to the girls’ story than what has become the “official” version. Much of the developments in the story are occurring on social media sites, where the incident has been widely shared and commented on. The claims of the “victims” are now being questioned for its veracity. Some are beginning to see holes in the story of what actually happened in the bus. Typically, the government has put on hold its decision to reward the two sisters, though the alleged culprits are still behind bars. Was it real or fake? No answers yet, but Dilliwallas got another reminder that crimes against women is an issue that will sadly continue to hit the headlines.
