Will the Commissar win in Delhi?

Since the first of January rationing of cars, with odd and even number plates allowed on the streets on alternate days, has been imposed by force on the citizens of Delhi. It was very successful on the first day, presumably because many offices were closed on New Year Day and because few would like to pay an extortionate fine of Rs 2,000. Delhi Chief Minister was ecstatic at being able to cause such misery to people and because auto-rickshaw drivers are making windfall profits by overcharging commuters. So happy was he that he quoted a John Lennon song," You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us." Wrong, on all counts. You are not dreaming of enhancing the quality of life for the people of Delhi, but of becoming the prime minister of India someday, which, God willing, will never be fulfilled. The scheme has been successful so far because of heavy policing, the threat of heavy fines and because it is only for 15 days. If you try to make it permanent to help your auto-rickshaw vote-bank we will just buy second-hand cars. which will pollute more, to beat the system. That will lead to humongous parking problems with people being killed over parking spots. If parking is made expensive, by heavily taxing extra cars, people will buy cars in other states or even in names of relatives who live outside Delhi. Car rationing has not worked elsewhere because people will do whatever it takes to get to work. For survival. It worked in Beijing during summer Olympics in 2008 because factories were also shut down during the period. On 2 January there was greater confusion and one may expect massive traffic jams at borders with neighboring states, from 4 January, which will be the first full working day since this oppression started, when people block traffic to argue with police. When Soviet Union banned decadent western Jazz and rock'n'roll people pressed music on used old X-ray plates, to beat the system, although you could end up in Lubyanka for doing so. Perhaps our very own Commissar would like to try the same with us. At least 2 studies, one from IIT Delhi and the other from the US, showed that wood smoke and emission from power stations were the biggest polluters. IIT-Kanpur found more pollution from trucks and two-wheelers. Add to that dust from construction and burning of stubble by farmers in Punjab, pollution from cars is a tiny fraction. So far luck has favored the Commissar because the weather has been mild, with no fog. Hopefully, it will become really chilly, when people will burn wood and waste for warmth, and fog will trap pollution near the ground revealing the Commissar's lies. If that happens he will no doubt blame the Prime Minister in uncouth language. The fault lies with the greedy people of Delhi for voting this fascist into power, in the hope of getting cheap water. However, Delhi people are world experts at breaking the law. Let us see who wins. Very droll.