[Reader-list] The role of civil society organisations in CNG

[mahesh sarma]

The role of civil society organisations in CNG


With out getting into a value judgements with respect to whether CNG is an appropriate solution, one issue which strikes an informed observer is the fact that, the entire debate about air pollution in Delhi, has been dominated by civil society organisations and it appears that, they have set frame of reference and hence an informed debate about air pollution in totality has never been part of the public consciousness.

Though the problem of air pollution in Delhi, was brought forth by the environmentalist advocate M.C.Metha, with respect to vehicular air pollution, it was Centre of Science and Environment (CSE), which played a crucial role.  CSE, with its publication of the book on delhi’s air pollution ‘Slow murder’ identified “diesel vehicles’ as the main culprit and and related that to most visible effects of pollution namely health and went on to mount a massive campaign (which we shall examine in detail in the subsequent posts) against the same. From 1997, when its book was published to 2002, when the conversion completed, CSE, played a crucial role in communicating to the public the ill effects o diesel and, went to argue that CNG, is the most effective solution available. On the other hand there were opponents to CNG too. 

The first major challenger to CNG, was TERI, which argued for a fuel neutral, emission standards based approach to reduction of air pollution, but it pitched its argument in favour of Extra low sulphur diesel, which was castigated by CSE, as supporting the diesel lobby. The other major contender was The TRIPPS of IIT, led by Prof. Dinesh Mohan, who argued for reorganisation of traffic patterns and introduction of high capacity buses. But CSE, alone succeeded in achieving its mission and hence requires a deeper look.

The state (both legislature and executive) which slept throughout the better part of 1990s woke during 2001 and sep a committee to provide national fuel policy, which sided with the idea advanced by TERI, but was wrapped in the knuckles by the supreme court, which makes the role of CSE that more exciting to examine.

mahesh





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