Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Breathing increases global warming.

Seems that the air in Delhi is so polluted that it is impacting the health of citizens. No argument about that, it is the suggested remedy that is debatable. There are many reasons including still air, winter mist and fog, which traps particles, and the burning of leaves which fall from trees in the autumn. No one is prepared to take on the sweepers from burning waste. One major reason is the burning of straw by farmers in surrounding states after collecting harvest. Will state governments stop farmers from burning straw and will farmers listen if requested? No. One solution would be to invent new technology to help farmers get rid of straw without burning. Perhaps buying up all the straw to produce bio-fuels maybe an alternative. Another solution constantly touted is stopping people from buying cars. To force people to use public transport the government has increased parking charges by up to 10 times. One doctor has filed an Public Interest Litigation to restrict people from owning cars because vehicular pollution damages unborn babies. Why do people try to reduce our freedoms to lead our lives as we want when the government is constantly passing laws hostile to citizens. Politicians are elected to represent us so why should they not be role models? Why not a PIL to restrain politicians from using cars, to force security personnel into one car and to restrict the numbers of air travel allowed? The US has 809 motor vehicles per 1000 people while India has a measly 41 motor vehicles per 1000 people, according to official figures. There 3 countries with more vehicles than the US but none of them is trying to stop people from owning cars. How is it that babies are not affected in the US but they are affected here? Why is it alright for a maid to come by car in the US but we are to be stopped from owning cars? A major reason why people, especially women, travel by cars despite traffic jams, absence of parking spaces and a hostile police is because of safety. Crime rates jumped 100% this year and the death of a young woman from gang rape in a Delhi bus is still fresh in our memories. There is never a single policeman on Delhi roads although there are innumerable police barricades creating jams, for unknown reasons. Taxes on cars are so high the a Vice President of Honda complained that cigarettes are cheaper. He need not fret any longer. Taxes on cigarettes have been increased but bidis, smoked by the poor, will still be cheap. Maybe we should all smoke bidis as we have our pockets picked in crowded buses. CO2 is a major cause of global warming and humans produce CO2 while breathing so why not a tax on breathing. Kill 2 birds with one tax.

No comments: