KARACHI, Oct 18: Millions of Karachiites are suffering from various serious diseases due to alarming air and noise pollution on Karachi roads, as the traffic police, the health and environment departments and other relevant agencies have failed to rein in smoke-emitting vehicles, particularly old buses, minibuses and rickshaws.
Dense clouds of smoke can be observed hovering over all busy roads of the city, including M A. Jinnah Road, during rush hours. Millions of commuters are forced to inhale this smoke containing dangerous chemicals and hazardous gases.
The air and noise pollution level around busy roads is alarmingly high due to negligence of the relevant agencies. Resultantly, it is the poor Karachiites who have to bear the brunt.
Visit any hospital and clinic and numerous patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, chest and ENT infections and psychosomatic diseases would tell you stories of the havoc wrecked on their health by air and noise pollution.
Ironically, the Karachiites continue to suffer despite the order of the Sindh High Court to ban all smoke-emitting and noisy vehicles. Despite all pledges and assurances by the traffic police and other departments concerned this court order still awaits implementation. There is no dearth of future plans, decisions in principle and open-ended rosy promises, but there seem nothing concrete on the horizon with a proper action coupled with a fixed deadline.
For example, the Karachi Traffic Management Board has decided to ban all public transport vehicles that were made before 1976, but these shabby smoke-emitting vehicles continue to run on Karachi roads, mocking the decision-makers.
The administrations of Lahore and Peshawar have successfully banned such vehicles from plying on Lahore and Peshawar roads, but here in Karachi these decisions seemed divorced from implementation. No doubt banning old and worn-out buses would hurt the transporter community and affect the livelihood of many people, but the very life and health of millions of people should be more important.
According to estimates, over 1,431994 vehicles are plying on city roads, which include 681,851 cars, 39,462 rickshaws, 54,795 motorcycles, 44,480 taxis, 20,462 minibuses and buses, 4,550 trucks and 73,305 other vehicles, and their number is growing constantly, as more than 300 new vehicles are registered in Karachi everyday.
The smoke of vehicles contains sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and other chemicals and gases injurious to human health, as they cause cancer, asthma, tuberculosis and chest and ENT infections, besides cardiovascular and mental diseases.
The traffic police a few months back had launched a massive drive against smoke-emitting vehicles in Karachi, but after an initial fervour of a few days it fizzled out and later ended abruptly.
In the past a survey was conducted with the help of the mobile laboratory of SUPARCO to gauge air and noise pollution levels at busy roundabouts of Karachi and some 26 such areas in various parts of the city were declared as 'dangerously polluted'. However, despite these scientific and proven results of dangerously high pollution level on Karachi roads, the authorities concerned still seem lacking courage to take the bull by the horns. This could also be termed a wilful disregard for lives and health of taxpaying citizens.
According to traffic rules, all public transport vehicles are bound to get 'engine fitness certificate' before plying on roads, but due to rampant mismanagement and corruption at the concerned quarters, 'totally unfit' vehicles are also freely plying on city roads to aggravate air and noise pollution and resultantly playing a havoc with the life and health of citizens.
It is not that the government is unaware of the perils of environmental pollution as according to the Economic Survey of Pakistan 2005-06, the air pollution levels in our cities were among the highest in the world and were climbing, causing serious health problems.
According to the report the levels of ambient particulates -- smoke particles and dust that cause respiratory disease -- are generally twice the world average and more than five times as high as in industrial countries and Latin America.
It further said that the air pollution levels in cities had either crossed safe limits or reached the threshold values. And no doubt Karachi is the worst hit city of the country regarding environmental pollution.
Though the city, provincial and federal governments are trying their best to find a solution to chronic public transport issue of Karachi, people now and then hear promises of phasing out old, shabby and smoke-emitting vehicles, bringing wide-bodied CNG buses and reviving and extending the Karachi Circular Railway. However, all these pledges are either open-ended or long-term, while the dangerous air and noise pollution situation in Karachi and resultant losses in terms of health and life of citizens warrant immediate, urgent and emergency measures.
A complete overhauling of the public transport system of Karachi has long been overdue. It is high time to say goodbye to the shabby, old and smoke-emitting vehicles to bring down the noise and air levels on our road to bearable limits for safety of citizens.
The administration should tackle this serious human issue without wasting time, as an ostrich-like attitude would lead nowhere. Smoke covered Karachi roads has become a big question mark to the performance of the traffic police, the health and environment departments and a host of other concerned agencies. Only a coordinated and comprehensive drive against smoke-emitting vehicles on an 'emergency' basis can improve this worrisome situation. – PPI
