Nightmare at Lutyens’ street

A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It’s where the rich use public transportation ? Gustavo Petro’s thought was the high point of the discussion in this motley group that generally talks of the campus, employment opportunities, preparations for competitive exams and Gandhi, since they are students of the Department of Gandhian and Peace Studies in Panjab University.

Tuesday morning as they gathered for their usual library session, they just couldn’t help but sit outside the stairs and enjoy the warm sun. Sandeep Kumar is just back from Delhi post an interview. Raman spent some considerable time in Delhi last year. And, both dread ever going back to Delhi, specially since smog has paralysed the national capital. 

Happy being the denizens of City Beautiful, this thinking, acting and learning group cannot help but revel at being part of such a campus and share the points from their discussion...

The situation

The pollution of Delhi is too much for this group to bear. Says Raman, “I spent a considerable time there and it’s not just my physical health but also mental that gave way with the level of pollution.” And, he is happy to choose Chandigarh over Delhi. “The moment you enter Delhi, your eyes burn, nose gets stuffy. In Chandigarh everything falls back in place.”

Sandeep Kumar, as he crossed Karnal on a recent trip to Delhi, was perplexed by the way ‘fog’ enveloped his car. “It was only when I got down I realised the intensity – no happy winter had set in but it was smog.” He and his friends procured masks but despite the gargles and masks, he had to take medicine.

What makes Delhi so bad? How are we saved from smog that has engulfed almost the entire northern region and how can we improve living conditions in Chandigarh and Delhi, the youth speaks up...

The solution

Move over politics

Sadly Delhi is caught between state and central politics. Something as progressive as odd-even that got full support of the educated Delhites wasn’t brought back, and now the entire city pays for it. Chandigarh survives, rather thrives, for it’s a planned city that goes by regulations. But for Delhi, some radical measures are stringently needed. On the lines of VIT, Vellore, one of the ace institutes, how difficult it is to make campuses vehicle-free zone? And, though, we are fortunate here, efforts have to be made from now to maintain that. Awareness is the key. Restrict the use of air conditioners and cars. Plant more trees, even something like turning a vegetarian would help –one can choose what suits one the best and that can go long way in saving our cities. —Vinay 

Work together

What Delhi is facing today could be the harsh reality for Chandigarh in the future if we don’t take corrective measures. Everyone is blaming farmers for stubble burning, but wouldn’t it work better if we share the measures. The straw can be used for fuel or fodder. If only one is made aware of the solutions and assistance that are available. —Raman

Generate awareness

What segregates developed countries from developing is the general level of awareness. We went wrong at so many levels for leading Delhi to the plight it is in today. If all of us are aware on why and how we pollute our environ and can reverse that, together we can clean our much polluted cities. In Chandigarh, we are placed happy but in order to enjoy this, we have to work individually as well collectively, and now. —Staffy

Don’t play with nature

I was in Delhi recently and it struck me that the area I lived in was densely populated and one could see only one tree, next to the temple in the entire locality. Now, if you play with nature, you should be ready to pay the price. What pains me even more is that the entire focus is on temporary measures. Schools closed, artificial rain being planned; all this would fail – once diesel generators rev up. Instead, one should think long-term. A city must have greenery, figure out how, and start today. Restrict days for industrial units. Even here in Chandigarh, we got to check ‘six cars for four member family norm’. It’s time we taxed ourselves a little before things went out of hand. —Sandeep Kumar

Consider all angles

We take pride calling Chandigarh a  green city – but is  it? With no green public transport, housing, schools or hospitals? It’s time we learnt from Delhi’s problem and work on traffic congestion that’s staring in our face. Efforts have to be made, in all sectors—assistance to farmers in disposing stubble, clean up the peripheries of the cities, devise government assisted platform for car pooling and side-by-side afforestation can tilt the scales towards man-nature balance. —Gurpratap Singh Randhwa 

—Compiled by Mona