There is a lot of hype on pollution control since the last decade on how to keep Chandigarh green and pollution-free. A lot of effort has gone in trying to control pollution in the environment due to fumes and particulate matter emitted from the industries and vehicles. Vehicular pollution has been controlled to a certain extent by making pollution checks a must. This compulsory pollution check for vehicles is a success as far as private vehicles are concerned, but not in case of government or public transport.And this is because the authorities concerned with implementation generally do not bother to check these vehicles or turn a blind eye. It is these vehicles which are responsible for a majority of the pollution in the city roads. Secondly, the number of vehicles has increased manifold as compared to other cities in the region. Due to the rise in the number of vehicles in the city, vehicular pollution has increased. The quantity of carbon monoxide in the air is rising.Overloaded trucks and lorries add to the air pollution. Due to heavy load the trucks emit more fumes as the engine is under stress. Brick kilns, rice shellers and cotton processing units too contribute to the mess. Apart from the air and noise pollution there is pollution caused by non-degradable waste matter, plastic and polythene bags.Public indiscipline leads to degradation of city's ecology. Residents dispose of any kind of waste: Paper, polythene packets and solid food particles anywhere. You have persons spitting anywhere. They just don't bother.Regular collection of garbage by the municipal authorities and mobile lavatories for the slum dwellers would help in creating conditions There should be basic thrust on the upliftment of public character. People should be taught to desist from spoiling the environment. Penalties can also be imposed on violators - in Hong Kong people are fined for spitting or littering. Let the penalty be nominal at the first instance but which can be increased for subsequent violations.Public discipline as a means can be borne out example of Army cantonments where everything is kept spick and span.If you go to a cantonment area in any city, it provides a contrast to the surrounding areas. The ecology is maintained by planting trees all over the place.But external checks work up to a point only. If really effective steps involving each and every individual are not taken, we cannot preserve our environment. There will be an increase in cases of lung, eye and skin diseases. It also leads to an imbalance in nature and changing weather phenomena. Untimely rains, depletion of the ozone layer result in spoiling the crops. This effects the economy; so for small gains we should not play with our future. It is in our own interest to ensure that our vehicle is within the pollution limit, if not, it should be rectified. Ensure that your surroundings are free from polythene bags and garbage is disposed off.We must take the initiative in our own hand rather than the police or some other government department coming and forcing the people to do so. Unless a spirit is not created in the society which leads the society to a mass movement towards cleaning the environment, pollution cannot be controlled effectively. It is up to the residents to due their bit. They have a vested interest in keeping the air they breathe in clean.(The writer is a Personnel Management graduate)
