Under watchful eyes

Sir ? The sudden enthusiasm of our parliamentarians? to back Somnath Chatterjee?s proposal to televise the proceedings of both the houses is something they might regret later (?Learn lesson, forget cost?, Dec 19). They must be aware of the power of television. The Lok Sabha speaker?s office was flooded with calls from people asking him not to step down, right after he threatened to do so, that too on live television. Yes, Chatterjee has earned himself such enviable respect. But very few, if any, of the parliamentarians can boast of a similar image ? what with them screaming and rushing to the well of the house (when they are not sleeping), throwing furniture, walking out and disrupting the normal proceedings. After watching their performance in both houses, the people might decide to vote them out the next time round. Are the MPs backing Chatterjee, prepared for this?

Yours faithfully,
Arati Ghosh, Calcutta

The air smells foul

Sir ? The front-page report, ?Killers rule?, (Dec 16) has highlighted certain important facts about the state of pollution in West Bengal today. It is not exactly gratifying to be reminded that the chief minster, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, has failed to keep his promise of phasing out vehicles over 15 years old and that the transport minister, Subhas Chakraborty, insists on passing the buck every single time he is questioned. What astonishes, however, is that a matter as serious as pollution has not been taken up with any degree of earnestness by the political parties even as strikes and bandhs continue to be called at the drop of a hat. Why does it not occur to anybody that pollution is a silent killer and its effects become perceptible only after the damage has been done?

Yours faithfully,
Asit Kumar Mitra, Calcutta

Sir ? Is it not strange that even as thousands of cars add to the traffic mess in Calcutta with every passing day, the number of auto-emission testing centres in the city has actually declined? Besides, the anti-pollution unit seems to be quite ham-handed when it comes to enforcing the customary pollution check on car-owners. Will this be looked into before the pollution issue disappears from public memory?

Yours faithfully,
Saptarshi Mukherjee, Calcutta

Sir ? Winter is a troublesome time for Calcuttans ? and only because of the horrifying level of pollution. Delhi was faced with a similar problem too till some time back, but the Supreme Court?s intervention has helped improve matters there considerably. A similar intervention would be welcome here.

Compressed natural gas has done the trick in Delhi. Efforts have been made to introduce it here too. But Calcutta has an easier alternative in its trams. The tram service has been sidelined for very long, but it can easily be revived with the help of some capital and sincere initiatives. There was a time when trams used to carry nearly 50 per cent of the city?s commuters. Today, however, the majority of the commuters prefer the polluting diesel buses. Upgraded tramways will popularize it and bring down pollution considerably.

Yours faithfully,
H.S. Sinha, Calcutta

Sir ? Despite the high court?s intervention and the administration?s apparent knowledge of the pollution problem in this state, nothing seems to have been done to address it. Surprisingly, even the state pollution control board does not appear to have a definite policy on the problem. The way the Left Front fought the public interest litigation to scuttle the high court?s intervention is disgraceful, to say the least. It speaks volumes of the government?s concern for its citizens. Even after all this time, the government continues to deliberately fail to comply with the court?s order. Whose interests is the government looking after?

Yours faithfully,
Protyush Mozumder, Calcutta

Sir ? Not only has the government of West Bengal failed to implement Bharat-II norms in the state, but it has not even ensured that the auto emission testing centres are upgraded to meet the new pollution norms. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee?s plan to do away with 15-year old vehicles is not very practical ? discarding such a huge number of vehicles is not an easy job. It would have made better sense if the government made possible cost-efficient converters for those vehicles. Besides, if the government is serious about reducing pollution, it should introduce CNG more effectively.

Yours faithfully,
R. Chrestien, Calcutta

Sir ? Is it not an interesting contrast that while the Central government is framing laws for a cleaner and healthier environment, the West Bengal government continues to be look the other way? Look at the buses run by the Calcutta State Transport Corporation. They are run-down and belch alarming amounts of smoke. It is the same story for many auto-rickshaws, cars and taxis plying on the roads here.

The chief minister should take a firmer stand against the pollution problem in Bengal. He should be more prudent in allotting land to the various industrialists and entrepreneurs as they are more intent on making a quick buck at the cost of the environment.

Yours faithfully,
A.S. Mehta, Calcutta

Sir ? It was shocking to learn that Calcutta is the world?s third most polluted city, that the winter air in the city is the foulest in India and that 10-12 lakh people have become victims of respiratory disease. Going by how the government is dragging its feet, it won?t be long before Calcutta moves up to the top of the list of the most polluted cities in the world.

Yours faithfully,
Ghulam Rasul, Calcutta