“Memorandum to Hon'ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh

Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy  Garu

Sub: "Right to Clean Air - Right to Life”

PRESS RELEASE

About Forum

Some non-governmental organizations and interested citizens, who are concerned about environmental and developmental issues in and around Hyderabad city, have come together in June 2000 to float the Forum For A Better Hyderabad. The main focus of the Forum is advocacy for sustainable development by highlighting the ecological and economic impacts of environmental problems being created by the developmental activities undertaken without proper appraisal and assessment.  Otherwise, there is every danger of passing on the environmental problems to others, elsewhere and to the future generations in the name of rapid development.

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.

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 NO_x 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:

1. 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 2^nd October 2004.  This will set an example for private agencies to follow;

2. 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;

3. All the three wheelers operating in HUDA area shall change from Liquid fuel mode to Gas fuel mode by April 2005;

4. RTC and SETWIN buses, older than 15 years, shall be barred from operating in HUDA area by 30^th January 2005;

5. 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;

6. 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;

7. Stop supplying Liquid fuels to vehicles running without Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate with immediate effect;

8. Pedestrian crossing foot-over bridges be provided at appropriate places and at the same time pavements must be made free of encroachments;

9. 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;

10. 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;

11. 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;

12. 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 73^rd Amendment to the Constitution of India.