Patna: The government in Jharkhand state, alarmed at the rising pollution level posing serious health hazards, has planned a 'No cars on Saturday' initiative where citizens will only be allowed to ride bicycles on the busy city streets during weekends.
The government said the eco-friendly move will not only protect the environment but also promote healthier lifestyle among residents.
Scheduled to be launched on March 13, the idea will be implemented in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand state. The total population of Ranchi is 1.46 million. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of officials held under the chairmanship of Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) commissioner Mukesh Kumar on Thursday.
Air pollution
“We appeal to everyone to use cycle at least once in a week which will not only keep them healthy but will also significantly contribute to the environment,” Kumar said. He said the move would also help decongest roads and make the surrounding free from air and sound pollution.
He urged all the officials as well as the citizens to strictly avoid using vehicles running on fuel and use only cycles on the city streets for nature’s sake as well as their own health. Further, he announced to make the city roads “cycle-friendly” and arrange for sufficient number of cycle stands in the city to help the cyclists park their cycles.
The commissioner declared that from now on every builder constructing private/commercial building would have to arrange for “cycle stands” there the way they leave space for car parking. The builders will have to make this commitment in writing right when submitting the maps for the proposed building to the municipal corporation lest their projects won’t be approved, he said.
The official also announced that the either side of roads leading to Dhurwa dam, a popular tourist spot in Jharkhand, would be developed as “No vehicle zone”. He also declared to remove all ditches from the city roads and create new designs on the city roads to promote cycling.
The authorities decided to go for the idea alarmed at the sudden increase in number of cars. According to an official report, the total number of registered cars has gone up to 206,766 in the past 20 years in Ranchi, with an average 20,000 cars being purchased every year. Last year, a total of 18,627 cars were registered with the transport depart despite the COVID-19 outbreak. In 2019, the number of registered cars stood at 20,611 whereas their number was recorded at 23,762 in 2018.
Physically fit
“This is indeed a praiseworthy move by the government. This will increase our physical activities and make us physically fit,” a local resident Rajiv Kumar Gupta said. Another resident Kanishk Poddar said the move would indeed prove wonderful as the city streets would remain free from honking and obnoxious fumes at least for a day.
According to a Greenpeace report released on February 18 this year, over 120,000 people have died in India in 2020 as a result of air pollution and related problems with the maximum of 54,000 deaths reported from Delhi.
“Despite recording relatively better air quality this year due to strict lockdown, air pollution continues to be a serious public health issue which also drastically impacts our economy,” says Avinash Chanchal, Climate Campaigner, Greenpeace India.
