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Right to
Clean Air – Right to Life
One of
the activity areas of the Forum is “pollution” both air and
water. The right to Life inherent in Article 21 of the
Constitution of India, contemplates qualitative life, which is
possible only in an environment of quality with clean air to
breath. Since its’ inception, Forum is
fighting for cleaner air in Hyderabad Metropolitan Area (HMA)
but failed in achieving the goal of clean air so far.
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Mr. M. Vedakumar, President and
Mr. A. Jeevananda Reddy, Secretary of
Forum For A
Better Hyderabad
addressing the school children and NGOs |
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A Rally
organized in support of
"Right To
Clean Air and Right To Life" |
Reasons for neglect of Air
Pollution
There are
a number of reasons why air pollution problems of HMA were
ignored. The damage caused by air pollution to the health of
the people is often difficult to perceive and the people rarely
know the levels of hazardous emissions they are breathing to,
even when the adverse health effects are substantial.
The few,
who might be seriously hurt by Air Pollution Controls, are more
vocal and influential than many who could benefit. In the
absence of sustained public pressure, the State Administration
too did not take the air pollution seriously and act, except for
superficial slogans such as “Clean & Green” and promises and
statements made on World Environment Day every year for the last
10 years or so. In brief the air pollution problems of
Hyderabad were ignored due to lack of political will and debate
and lack of good governance.
Shrinking Breathing Space of HMA
Hyderabad Urban Development Authority [HUDA] covers 1864.87 km2
with MCH covering 172.02 km2. The population, as per
2001 Census, in HUDA area is around 63.83 lakhs with a
population density of 3,350 persons/km2 as against
MCH area population of 36.33 lakhs with a density of 21,046
persons/km2. The rate of urbanization has been very
fast. The rapid growth of Hyderabad Urban Agglomeration has
been brought tremendous pressure on urban land,
resulting in
authorized and unauthorized land use conversions and
encroachment of lakes, parks, playgrounds, open spaces including
nullahs, etc.
The AP High
Court in its landmark judgment dated 28-1-1997 in W.P.No. 25835
of 1996 & 35 of 1997 observed that the
per capita
recreational area in the city is less than 0.50 square meters as
against the National Standard of 3.00 square meters. Also
observed that that the city is already breathing less than the
required breath and further depletions, by the acts of the
State, of the lung space of the city will make the breathing
more difficult.
Deteriorating Air Quality
From the ambient Air Quality point of view the critical factors
affecting the air quality are automobile vehicles and industrial
activity. In HMA about 75% of the air pollution is from
automobiles and in which about 45% is contributed by adulterated
fuels. In 2001 around 10.99 lakh vehicles were on the capital
city roads generating a whooping amount of pollution load of
1123 tonnes/day. Among the 10.99 lakh vehicles, 78% are
two-wheelers, 12% cars, 5% each of three-wheelers and
buses-lorries.
The 5% of
buses-lorries emitted
[39% of pollution load]
as much as the 78% of the two-wheeler vehicles
[42% of pollution load];
three-wheelers emitted around 7% and cars around 12%.
In the
five year period (1995-96 to 2000-01) the pollution load was
doubled (from 491 tonnes/day to 1123 tonnes/day), though the
vehicle number increased by only 50%. Thus, the pollution load
presented non-linear growth. This means pollution load is not
only the function of number of vehicles on the road but also
several other factors such as age of the Vehicle, Engine
technology, Fuel type/adulteration, Ribbon type urban growth,
Concentration of activities at a few centers, Lack of adequate
public transport, Poor coordination, planning & management of
traffic related issues, etc.
Slow Poisoning due to Automobile
Emissions
The vehicular pollution scenario in the city has
been aggravated by exponential rise in the pollution load in the
past few years
with the
presence of a sizable number of old and ill-maintained vehicles,
overcrowded roads and adulteration of fuels.
Air Pollution from vehicular sources is a serious health hazard
in HMA. Lakhs of urban Hyderabadis are exposed to some of the
highest pollutant levels in India, where the concentration of
respirable particulate matter (PM10) over the last
few years remained far above the National Ambient Air Quality
standards. The reality can be viewed from the growth in the
cases registered in Hospitals, especially in Government Chest
Hospital.
There is no threshold for the onset of the adverse effects,
meaning that for each concentration of particulate matter, there
are already observed effects, starting from the lowest
concentration of about 10 mg/m3 and going to 150-200
mg/m3. The national annual standard for RSPM [Respirable
Suspended Particulate Matter] is 60 mg/m3.
As per the
data published by Central Pollution Control Board, PM10
has recorded critical levels in 13 cities and Hyderabad is one
of them.
The observed data of Jan. 2003 to Feb. 2004 over different parts
of the city present the highest average of 110 [with the range
78 to 203] mg/m3 at Paradise and the lowest of 43
[with a range of 17 to 66] mg/m3 at KBR Park. Other
health hazard components of air pollution such as SO2
and NOx present similar trends.
The advances
in the science of epidemiology suggest that even air that would
until recently have been considered ‘Clean’ may contain
pollutants that are hazardous to people’s health.
Supreme Court Directive
The Hon’ble Supreme Court order dated July 28,
1998 on control of vehicular pollution in national capital
region including Delhi gave CNG as an opportunity to cleaner
air. However, there was a disinformation campaign on CNG. The
final verdict [April 2002] of the court says that “orders of
this court can not be nullified or altered in any way by
administrative order; give priority to transport – allocate 16.1
lakh kg of CNG per day;
phase out 800
diesel buses every month; diesel buses to pay a penalty per bus
per day”.
On
December 1, 2002, the entire city bus fleet in Delhi became
diesel free, representing the largest City CNG bus fleet in the
world. There are nearly 10,000 buses, 47,201 three-wheelers
[autos], 10,350 private cars, 5,000 minibuses and 15,000 taxis
were changed from Liquid fuel mode to Gas fuel [CNG] mode with
109 re-fuelling stations and with 7-lakh kg per day CNG sale in
January 2004. With this the air quality improved substantially
over the capital city of India and Delhi.
Andhra Pradesh Scenario
The AP High
Court, in its order in W.P.No. 7755 of 1997, recorded that some
cities of the country have already taken measures to eliminate
the use of fuels for vehicles that cause air pollution.
Hyderabad being a major city and with persons, who do care for
pollution control, its citizens cannot be behind other cities,
in restoring to such controls, which other cities have
introduced. Further observed “We state in no uncertain terms,
that the Respondents (State Government) shall be failing in the
discharge of their duties, if they could not endow sufficient
consideration to pollution control and delay in taking steps for
such control measures, which are essential”.
Inaction of State Administration
But unfortunately even after 7 years, since AP
High Court made the above observations, the response of the
State Administration had been lukewarm and lackadaisical in
implementing air pollution control measures, except for
knee-jerk reactions from time to time. In consultation with
stakeholders in April 2000, the State Administration finalized
certain proposals to bring down the air pollution in HMA but
there does not seem to be any meaningful follow up action.
Again
in October 2003, with reference to orders of Hon’ble Supreme
Court of India, the State Administration had consultations with
stakeholders and understood to have presented recommendations of
April 2000 to the Hon’ble Supreme Court. The Concerned citizens
& organizations including Forum is interacting with the
government agencies from time to time through round table
meetings, through participating in meetings organized by
government agencies, through letters, etc. All these seem to
have been confined to files only, without any effective follow
up action until to date. A simple example to this is the
decision “No Fuel without PUC (Pollution Under Control),
effective from December 2003” and yet around 40% of vehicles are
running in HMA with out PUC.
Appeal
Sir, We,
the undersigned, appeal to the Hon’ble Chief Minister, to
consider early implementation of the following measures, which
were being debated endlessly for the last ten years or so, to
improve the air quality and the quality of life of the citizens
of Hyderabad:
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All Diesel vehicles older than
15 years, belonging to State & Central Governments, Defence
Services and their allied agencies, organizations, etc (MCH,
Metro Water, Cantonment, etc] operating in HMA be phased out
by 2nd October 2004. This will set an example for
private agencies to follow;
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All private diesel commercial
vehicles (Lorries, Buses, etc) including diesel taxis older
than 15-years shall be barred from operating within the limits
of area controlled by HUDA with effect from April 2005;
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All the three wheelers
operating in HUDA area shall change from Liquid fuel mode to
Gas fuel mode by April 2005;
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RTC and SETWIN
buses, older than 15 years, shall be barred from operating in
HUDA area by 30th January 2005;
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RTC and SETWIN busses operating
in HUDA area must change from Liquid fuel mode to Gas fuel
mode latest by April 2006 in phases, which shall be notified
at the earliest;
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Adulteration
of Liquid fuels and lubricants must be stopped with the
involvement of credible citizen groups and voluntary
organizations, ensuring speedy and stringent action against
the offenders, if required by a special enactment for the
purpose;
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Stop supplying Liquid fuels to
vehicles running without Pollution Under Control (PUC)
certificate with immediate effect;
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Pedestrian
crossing foot-over bridges be provided at appropriate places
and at the same time pavements must be made free of
encroachments;
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The entire available road space
should be utilized for vehicular traffic, by not permitting
parking and other activities, particularly near the road
intersections and removing the obstacles left behind after the
process of road widening;
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The strict
implementation of Building bye-laws, rules, zoning
regulations, etc needs to be ensured and exemptions are not to
be granted without the consent of Traffic, Fire Services, etc
departments. BRS for regularization of unauthorized
structures should not be revived. And at the same time
develop effective greenery and water bodies;
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Shifting of offices of RR
District Collector, Principal Conservator of Forests,
Engineer-in-chiefs, etc from the present location, relocation
of Dairy Farms on the out skirts, dispersal of some of the
official activities from the crowded areas, will go a long way
to relieve the traffic congestion and vehicular pollution;
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Implementation
and commissioning of MMTS should be given the highest priority
and a separate Hyderabad Metro Transport Authority or Company
be constituted to coordinate and operate MMTS and Bus
Transport system in HUDA area;
Conclusions
The above
measures cannot provide a solution to the impending traffic
problems of HUDA area, which is estimated to have the population
of 136 lakhs by 2020, with the vehicular population of more than
35 lakhs at the present growth rate.
The answer does not lie in providing more and more urban
infrastructure such as widening of roads, flyovers, etc, which
is something like trying to cure obesity by loosening the belt.
The need of the hour is to arrest population migration to HMA
and reverse it, by bridging Urban (India) – Rural (Bharat)
Divide by balanced development of Districts & Rural Areas
through decentralization of administration by proper
implementation of the provisions of 73rd Amendment to
the Constitution of India.
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Sl.No. |
Name /
Designation |
Telephone No. |
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1. |
Capt. J. Rama
Rao, Chairman |
23321350 / 33366000 |
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2. |
Sri M. Veda
Kumar, President |
9848044713 / 27635669 |
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3. |
Dr. S.
Jeevananda Reddy, General Secretary |
27758153 / 27754935 |
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