Economic Highlights
New Delhi, 25 April, 2016
Nation’s Loss, One Man Gains
LET NO TUGHLAQ RULE DELHI
By Shivaji Sarkar
The national Capital --- Delhi- belongs to the country
and Delhiites are not its sole custodian. But Delhi suffers from Tughlaqs time to time. The
latest Tughlaqi decision of odd-even
road rationing of cars is not only illogical and illegal but is also crippling
trade, business, education, Government work and other activities.
Pertinently, the BSE sensex’s fall
for five consecutive sessions coincides with Delhi’s odd-even scheme. Add to this people
in core business areas vouch for Delhi
markets doing less business. Consequently, this creates a feeling across the
country that India
is once again becoming a difficult place to do business.
Undeniably, Prime Minister Modi’s efforts
for easing business seem to have got into a literal road block. Questionably,
how can a handful of people bar those living in the national capital region
(NCR) and other “outsiders” from entering Delhi?
Many come to Parliament, Supreme Court, hospitals like AIIMS, Apollo, Spinal Injury
Hospital etc and offices. Some to get visas or board international flights, business
purposes, wholesale trading, etc as the Capital is the hub of activity.
Raising a moot point: Can anyone trample
on our Constitutional guarantee to move freely? Is it a conspiracy to hit
productivity, jeopardize development process and non-creation of jobs?
Indeed, the odd-even rule raises
serious questions about the whimsical way State
power is deployed as the Motor Vehicle Act allows 24x7x365 days plying of all
vehicles. It prevents the Delhi
police from levying Rs 2000 illegal fine, which they showed as “charity” during
phase one of the odd-even rule in January, collecting Rs 1.82 crore from 9140
illegal challans.
Worse, many families with sick people
are being hounded by the police and so-called civil defence AAP volunteers.
Parents cannot drop children to schools and many office-goers give their office
a slip. Taxis indulge in “surge pricing”, three times more.
Rightfully many have now realized the
folly of Delhi’s
statehood. Problems were there earlier too but now it has reached the epic
proportion. Recall, in 1956, Delhi was made a Union Territory.
In 1993 the 69th Constitutional Amendment gave it
special status wherein it introduced a system of diarchy. Since organized
political Parties held sway, they avoided a confrontation with the Centre
despite problems. However, the new “riff-raff anarchic system”, as emphasized
by Chief Minister Kejriwal himself has brought Delhi to a grinding halt.
Thus, it is time for Delhi to
revert back to being a Union
Territory and revive the
system of Chief Executive Councillor as the present APP Government literally is
nothing but that. Yes, it has enormous powers to swindle public money as was
seen when Kejriwal raised the publicity budget from Rs 26 crores in 2014 to Rs
526 crores in 2015. Today Delhi
is flooded with his hoarding. Alas, the nation’s loss is one man’s gain.
Besides, it has failed in its aim: bringing down pollution. It was
unsuccessful during the first phase in January when schools were forced shut
for 15 days. This time around too, last week the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) bluntly
told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that there is no data to suggest that
the odd-even scheme has brought down vehicular pollution in Delhi.
Adding for good
measure, “Fluctuations in PM10 and PM2.5 are due to the weather and change in
wind patterns. Prima facie, there is no data to suggest the odd-even scheme has
any impact on decrease in vehicular pollution.” The Energy and Resources
Institute (TERI) too underlined that fluctuating pollution level was primarily
due to changing wind speeds and only a detailed analysis could ascertain the
actual impact of the road-rationing scheme on air pollution.
Realistically, there was no decrease
in traffic congestion and it crawled like any other day. This is not all. The
odd-even scheme led to overcrowding of metro trains and chaos at Delhi’s borders resulting
in security being severely impaired. Also, the promised buses are nowhere to be
seen though reports assert that during January such “buses” caused losses of
about Rs 5,000 crores to DTC. Who got the money?
Importantly, the courts which expressed
concern about Delhi’s
rising pollution need to understand the geographical conditions that cause
seasonal fluctuations in air quality as the CPCB noted. Some of the
court-driven restrictions on sale and registration of diesel cars, renewal of
well-maintained private vehicles has led to severe misery for vehicle owners,
who buy a vehicle because of compulsion not for fun.
The courts and NGT must understand that
passing utopian orders do not solve problems. It only convolutes the markets
and living conditions. If they are so concerned about diesel vehicles, which
manufacturers say are Euro IV compliant and cause least pollution, they should
ban its production. But allowing its manufacturing and banning its sale,
resale, registration and re-registration of 15-year old vehicles are against law
and ethics.
Such constrictions should
immediately be removed so that people and businesses thrive and do not live
under the fear of law enforcement agencies. A discreet enquiry would show how
much black money is being generated due to such impractical orders.
As Delhi Ministers, Government
officials and judicial officers move in official vehicles they are oblivious of
the sufferings by the aam aadmi.
Refusing to travel by public transport does not make one “elite” but there is
no alternative. Moreover, driving a vehicle costs more and causes more fatigue.
Therefore, let us say good-bye to utopian experiments at public and national
cost.
Organisations like NGT should do a better
job than banning vehicles --- new or 15 year-olds. If they can allow Delhi Government
to run 15 year-old ramshackle buses to ply as “paryavaran buses”, they cannot impose a ban on people’s vehicles. Let
Delhi and the
nation move on a path to progress.
All in all, progress would be
hampered if Delhi
remains a State and has diversified authorities --- Centre, Lt Governor, State
Government and Municipal Corporation controlling it. This needs serious
consideration and not politicking.
Delhi belongs to India and
nobody can impose an order that crushes the right of citizens. Let its Statehood
be cancelled by repealing the 69th Amendment. The nation would gain.
----- INFA
(Copyright, India
News and Feature Alliance)
|