National Green Tribunal may force Kerala to go for integrated transport policy

KOCHI: The verdict by the Kochi bench of the National Green Tribunal banning 10-year old diesel vehicles in the state came as a shock to vehicle owners and dealers in the state. A section of the green activists hailed the verdict as a progressive step while policymakers are groping in the dark on how to deal with the situation. Even those supporting the NGT verdict, however, feels that the 30-day period allowed by the green bench is too inadequate for making a transition.

The verdict, came two days before the newly elected Left Democratic Front assumed office, is the first major public policy challenge before the new government. The ruling alliance and the opposition still engaged in the post-poll political razzmatazz have not realised the gravity of the situation.

Transport minister A. K. Saseendran said the government was not against the verdict per se. He listed some of the fundamental issues facing the government in implementing such a policy. Firstly, the motor vehicle department collects road tax for 15 years. The MVD cannot tell an owner of the vehicle to stay away
from the road after ten years as this will lead to a plethora of litigation.

“The other issue is connected with the vehicles used for the public transport system,” the minister pointed out. “There are no companies that manufacture petrol or CNG powered buses used by public transport utility such as Kerala State Road Transport Corporation. There is a dearth of trained professionals to convert diesel vehicles to CNG.”

More than that, the state lacks a CNG fuel supply chain to induce people to convert to CNG. The government understands the seriousness of the problem, but, it cannot make a change over in a short span of 30 days, Mr Saseendran said. Green activist C.R. Neelakandan is of the view that the verdict is a shock treatment to the people of the state.

“The NGT verdict is a wake-up call to initiate a new integrated transport system. The transport policy in the state has to change from an individual vehicle-centric approach to a sustainable public transport system,” he said. Although the level of air pollution in Kerala is relatively less compared with cities such as Delhi the explosion of vehicles on the Kerala roads is a matter of concern.

“There are many studies to show that motor vehicles are one of the prime contributors to atmospheric pollution. So the state needed to take immediate steps to bring down the number of vehicles. An efficient and multi-modal public transport system is the best method to bring down the number of vehicles,” says activist-actor Jolly Chirayath.

The policymakers in the state also needed to disabuse the idea that projects such as the high capital intensive Kochi Metro are the way forward for developing an efficient public transport system. “The state needed to reformulate its priorities as we do not have resources to set up projects such as Kochi Metro. The operational income from the metro will not be sufficient for even meeting the debt servicing,” Ms Chirayath.

The policy makers should realise that they have to think about the requirement of a public transport system taking into account the needs of the next two decades. The people of the state should also realise that their mode of transport cannot be isolated from the overall living habitat. The people should also be vigilant enough not to be fooled by advertisement of a kid extolling the virtues of her ‘daddy’s big car’.

(With inputs from Sabloo Thomas)