Cabbies are irresponsible

The setting: Sahyadri guest house, around noon, on 27th October, 1999. Those present: the Chief Minister, bureaucrats, senior police offi...

The setting: Sahyadri guest house, around noon, on 27th October, 1999. Those present: the Chief Minister, bureaucrats, senior police officials, the transport commissioner, etc. Purpose of meeting: to discuss the taximen8217;s strike. What the CM told the NGOS: that the government was fully supportive of the anti-pollution measures being initiated by the transport commissioner to reduce vehicular emissions, but due to the timing of the transporters8217; strike, taxis would have to go back on the roads to carry in food supplies, etc.

What the CM told taximen in an earlier meeting with them: that all measures to call in ageing taxis would be suspended due to the transporters8217; strike and that the taxi strike should be called off in the next half hour.Why couldn8217;t the government wait for just one more day; the infighting taxi unions would themselves have called off the strike!

Anyway, the taximen of Mumbai should be thanked, if we succeed in cleaning the air in Mumbai, for having awakened the civic consciousness ofthe Mumbaikar, because the letters supporting transport commmissioner V M Lal8217;s anti-pollution drive are coming in to us and and the press in significant numbers.

Do we need taxis in Mumbai? The answer is a resounding yes. But we need a more disciplined, controlled lot of taximen that look after their cars and keep them well-tuned, their engines decarbonsided to reduce the solid particulate matter SPM that is emitted from their exhausts and is fine enough to go deep into our 8212; and their 8212; lungs. It is reported that 81 of our taxi drivers suffer wind-pipe congestions. Any wonder?

How many taxis do we need in Mumbai? The taximen8217;s union leader A L Quadros himself feels that 55,000 taxis are more than necessary, and that 35,000 would be the optimum number. Why then has the union filed a case in court for some 200 more taxis to be issued licences? The transport commissioner says taximen are not banned from plying in Panvel, Vashi, etc. Taxis registered in Thane are permitted to obtain an endorsement ontheir permits and ply there. Only by working together can we resolve this issue of pollution, and resolve it we must. The government, the car manufacturers, the oil majors, the petrol dealers, the taxi and autorickshaw unions, not forgetting the vital inputs of us NGOs, who do not profess to be technical experts and speak on behalf of the people, are necessary for this to happen.

Zinnia Khajotia heads the NGO Clean Air