[Reader-list] CSE science and communication in CNG story

[mahesh sarma]

 CSE science and communication in CNG story


All CSOs involved in the transport policy debate, have used their own domestic research based findings aided and buttressed by previously conducted international research findings to influence policymaking. CSE commissioned a comparative study of pollution levels generated by both modes of fuels viz, CNG and diesel, and proved that CNG has lower pollution levels (A claim contested by TERI and IIT_ TRIPPS, but failed to convince the courts). 

The strategy of all CSOs, normally is to publish the findings and use the media to sensitise the public and policy makers. Petitioning and corresponding with state authorities is another preferred mode of activity. Filing Public Interest Litigation is emerging as new form of intervention. In the transport policy debate only CSE went further and actively and consistently engaged with general public in a sustained manner. Though it too began with a the publication of the book ‘Slow Murder’ using vehicular pollution data to deadly effect, it went further. (Though the attribution of all vehicular pollution to public transport may be farfetched, but being an NGO, with success in mind, it did do that effectively).

Having identified the right cause (health problems due to pollution) and linked it scientifically to increased pollution, CSE mounted an intensive, multi pronged and sustained campaign (It even used emotion by way of the deteriorating health of its charismatic founder Anil Agarwal), organized public hearings, mounted debates on national television channels, unleashed academic reports. It also found places in the right government and court appointed committees to influence policy changes from within the state structure. 


Few hypotheses could be advanced about the nature and content of the change that was brought about the campaign in larger context. One is that the due to the liberalisation process, the livability issues have begun to dominate public discourse though an upper class bias is distinctly visible. An increasing number of internationally connected civil society organizations, powered by competing claims based on science have been successful in forcing changes in national level policy making.  Yet anther factor is that the civil society got increasingly engaged due to the explosion of electronic media, which brought about a sense of immediacy to remote problems into the drawing rooms of homes and there by involved citizens in a manner which the state was not able to foresee and hence was forced to be reactive. 

 mahesh







B.Mahesh Sarma,
Researcher
Centre for Studies in Science Policy
Jawaharlal Nehru University
New Delhi. 110 067
Mobile:00-91-9868090468
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