The filing of a petition asking for the protection of a fundamental right to clean air was given a poignant twist with the petitioners seeking justice from the top court being infants. While the petitioners, the offspring of lawyers, may enter the record books as the youngest ever in judicial history, what remains to be seen is whether such a unique petition will bring about drastic orders to tackle a problem that has made the capital the world’s most polluted city.
The top court did enforce regulations once to see that buses were driven on CNG, yet all such measures have only brought marginal relief. The use of fireworks, particularly during festivals like Diwali and Dussehra, and the disposal of seasonal crop waste, are burning issues. Again, the question arises as to whether blanket bans can ever be enforced, especially in India with its scant regard for laws.
In many parts of the world only controlled displays of fireworks on special occasions by cities or countries are allowed, and not private use. Beyond the hazards to individuals and bystanders, the detrimental effect on society as a whole is a compelling reason why we should act on all fronts to tackle everything that degrades the environment. The Beijing experience suggests automobiles are the worst polluters.
But would it be possible to ban all private vehicles and force people only to use environment-friendly mass rapid transport? A petition like this points to how little we do to mitigate problems like pollution, garbage clearance and mosquito control. Unless we act now, what we leave for posterity will only project a smoggy history of inaction.
