Mumbai: The famous Dabbawalas (lunch-box carriers) of Mumbai have tied up with an NGO, Young Environmentalists, to show the city how cycling contributes to zero pollution.
Inspired by the climate change world conference in Paris, Else Gabriel who heads the NGO says, “In Mumbai, this is a call, particularly to the youth, to fight climate change since each one needs to do their bit to curb carbon and pollution.”
Participating in a cyclothon organised by Gabriel on Sunday morning at Hiranandani Gartdens, Powai, will be the dabbawalas whose livelihood depends on cycling to transport lunch boxes from homes to offices spread across the city. They rely on trains which generally run on time and bicycles that can move through the busiest of Mumbai streets with ease. Subodh Sangle, coordinator of the Dabbawala Association, said: “We are happy to partner with Young Environmentalists for the cyclothon series in Maharashtra to drive home the message that we are true environmentalists in every sense. For the last 125 years we have been cycling to deliver lunches with precision, contributing to zero pollution.
“We carry on the legacy that we in India are eco-friendly and must pass on our tradition to the next generation.”
Aiming to encourage more youngsters to cycle to school and college every day, Gabriel said there are plans underway to formulate how traffic jams outside schools and colleges can be done away with, “specially with hundreds of cars flooding the gates of city schools daily.”
Gabriel feels youth must be provided with safe cycling paths within residential complexes and suburbs to allow free-flowing traffic during peak hours.
“We are collaborating with schools to organise cycle parking spaces, road schemes that have a significant impact on cyclists, such as junction improvements or road widening, so that they can be navigated confidently by the average cyclist. Since cyclists should be motivated, we are also awarding veteran cyclists and students who cycle to school despite the odds at the Cyclothon on December 13.”
