KARACHI: Concern over concession to noisy rickshaws
By Qurat ul ain Siddiqui
KARACHI, June 15: Environmentalists and concerned citizens make out a strong case for action against Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad in the context of his recent directive that the cut-off date for phasing out two-stroke engine auto-rickshaws be extended to 2010.
The governor’s concession to transporters is said to violate an April 2006 order of the Sindh High Court, which gave the owners of such vehicles a June 2007 deadline for switching to four-stroke CNG engines.
At the heart of the debate are approximately 49,000 Karachi rickshaws that are registered as having two-stroke engines – which are known to cause severe atmospheric and noise pollution.
It is arguable whether the governor has the authority to issue a directive in conflict with an SHC verdict. Moreover, the move appears to be one of political expediency since no official source could give a clear answer as to why the deadline has been extended.
According to the Sindh Secretary of Labour, Industries and Transport, Nasir Hayat, the administration is dealing with the legalities involved but “verbally, the governor’s order is agreed upon by everyone.” Meanwhile, the province’s environmental watch-dog, the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa), remains officially unaware of the directive and Director-General Sepa Abdul Malik Ghauri declined to comment. Another source that deals in environmental protection merely said that “the administration must have its reasons for the steps it is taking in this matter.”
Conversely, Shehri chairperson Roland de Souza said that “the governor has no power to modify orders of the High Court; only the Supreme Court can do that. […] It is people like the governor, who – in order to stay in power – orchestrate compromises and condone violations of the law. We need better leaders and politicians.”
Be that as it may, it is the citizens of Karachi that stand most to lose by the extension. There is no denying that two-stroke rickshaws harm the environment, and as Mr Hayat conceded, the resultant pollution causes a host of respiratory problems and affects the quality and quantity of atmospheric oxygen.
Naeem Ahmed Mughal, deputy director of the Environment Impact Assessment monitoring body, said that two-stroke engines do not have the required fuel-burning and thermal efficiency levels, and therefore generate high levels of pollution. The use of adulterated fuel worsens the situation, he added. “Even though the rickshaw drivers are themselves the principal victims, they do not seem to appreciate the introduction of the environmentally friendlier four-stroke engine vehicles,” he mused.
This is remarkable given that, according to Mr Hayat, the government is willing to pay 10 per cent of the cost of a four-stroke engine rickshaw, while the purchaser can pay the balance through instalments spread over five years. However, he said, “It is going to take a while to completely replace all the two-stroke engine rickshaws since a lot of people depend on them.”
This sentiment is echoed by Shahi Syed, chairman of the Pakhtun Action Committee and president of the Awami National Party (ANP) Sindh. “The decision [to phase out two-stroke engines] affects at least 200,000 families in Karachi alone and it is nearly impossible for the owners of such vehicles to switch to four-stroke engines in such a short span of time,” he commented. “In fact, the government stopped registering two-stroke engine rickshaws from July 2006, which was over a month after the decision was taken.” He accused the administration of not conducting a debate over the issue for almost a year, even though it affects the livelihoods of so many families. Furthermore, he said, there has been no discussion about the 10 per cent conversion cost that was to be borne by the government, adding that “the government should share at least 50 per cent of the engines’ cost.”
Referring to rickshaw owners’ reluctance to switch to four-stroke engines, Mr Syed said that “since they are not so common, fewer mechanics are available and therefore, the maintenance costs of such vehicles are much higher.”
Asked whether the May 12 events in Karachi had any bearing on the provincial government’s relaxation of the June 2006 deadline, Mr Syed replied in the affirmative, saying that “we suffered heavy losses and the Pakhtun Action Committee cancelled its strikes recently because the administration is now listening to us. Even though we had to carry the dead bodies of our brothers, we want peace.”
However, the Sindh Secretary for Labour, Industries and Transport, Nasir Hayat, denied any such political concerns. He stated that the governor’s directive is based on sympathy with the families whose income depends on two-stroke engine rickshaws, and the sustainability of the phasing-out. Referring to a similar phase-out in Lahore, Mr Hayat said that “it’s gradual, of course. For example, no two-stroke engine rickshaws can currently operate on Mall Road and the ban will be expanded to cover other parts of the city over time.”
Citizens concerned about the environment are left helpless in such situations, where the left hand of the government appears unaware of what the right is doing. Whether the 2010 extension becomes law is a moot point at the moment, but it is amply clear that environmental safety has already been put on the official back-burner.
