 Air
Pollution in New Delhi is increasing day by day. People think that this
comes from big factories. But the fact is that most of it comes from transport, especially
cars. Car pollution is constantly on the rise. But who is responsible? The answer is the
people who drive these cars. Car companies are making newer and cheaper cars. They are redefining luxury
and encouraging people to buy more and more cars. Some families have more than one car and
most neighbours are not at all interested in carpooling, even if they are heading for
exactly the same destination.
The government is also responsible. They are following a "Spare the rod, spoil the
child" policy. Instead of decreasing the amount of cars, they are building more and
more flyovers, which are encouraging people to use more cars. At this rate, it will be
impossible to decrease the amount of cars.
But I feel that atleast all cars should be made to compulsorily use a catalytic
convertor.
Sunny Gupta
Woodstock School, Mussorie
GT replies:
One solution to the urban air pollution problem would be the reduction in the number of
cars, which some cities across the world have already implemented, like Singapore.
A word about catalytic convertors. They are placed near the
exhaust pipe in cars and chemically convert engine emissions into environmentally benign
gases. However they do not work when the engine has just been started (when emissions are
maximum) and slow moving traffic on Indian roads and frequent stoppages reduce their
efficiency. Also, they have to be replaced every 7000-8000 kms.
Thank you for your
continuing articles on air quality and for putting pressure on the Government to make
further reductions.
But much more dramatic steps are required than introducing technology to reduce
emissions from diesel vehicles in order to reduce emissions to an acceptable level rather
than just minor improvements in cleaning up the diesel or the vehicle. Nevertheless, where
diesel vehicles need to be operated then it is better that they not only run on cleaner
low sulphur diesel but the diesel should also contain additives that reduce emissions
further (non metallic additives that don’t contribute to extra pollution or health
concerns).
Better technology is being used by environmentally concerned organisations but oil
companies are reluctant to do so because of commercial reasons i.e. saving fuel is not
their concern and the environmental burden must be borne by the Government and not them
etc.
Dr. S. Omar Hayat
ChemEcol (UK) Limited, London
For the last
two years there has been no rain in our taluk, and we are facing many problems. The
government has declared our taluk a drought area. I am an advocate and the secretary of
Chikkanayaka Youth Club, which has 39 members. The club is planning to do a big water
awareness programme here through a "Rainwater Festival''.
A rainwater-harvesting programme is our dream. It will not be a one-year affair, but an
evergreen one lasting many years.
But before making the people in this taluk aware, we have to be sure of it ourselves
and educate ourselves. Do you have books and CDs and any other help that you can give us?
M Harish
Tumkur, Karnataka
 My son has taken part in an inter school science project competition on
"Rainwater Harvesting". He needs information for rainwater harvesting models.
Can you help?
Paresh Shah
Mumbai
GT replies:
The Centre for Science and Environment has a comprehensive website on the issue,
www.rainwaterharvesting.org. CSE also has a Water Harvester's Manual, with case studies.
Other books that might be of help are Dying Wisdom and Making Water Everybody's Business.
The CSE bookstore also has several VCDs on the subject, like Harvest of Rain and Water
Works, which recently won an award at Vatavaran 2003. Please check out the complete list
of books and videos at http://csestore.cse.org.in.
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