Kolkata getting worse

You may feel today is a red letter day for Bengal because at long last the government is able to acquire and handover land to the Salim Group for the chemical hub.

I though feel the claim to fame goes to yesterday (Feb 14) because for the first time a foreign diplomat pointed out that Kolkata’s air pollution is so high that it may hinder growth (refer today’s TT story).

In a seminar on environment, the British deputy high commissioner Simon Wilson rapped the government for failing to control auto emission. He said if things do not improve, then investments from abroad are likely to suffer. [Image source above]

Mr. Wilson is absolutely right. I live near the Bypass, and I can vouch for deterioration in the quality of air I breathe – this in a locality where there still are large open spaces.

My own analysis is that this condition will worsen in the coming years as the vehicular population increases, and the government’s apathy continues. Here the last factor, namely government’s apathy, is of huge importance. Let me explain.

The real power in Kolkata lies with that group of people who care a damn about the rule of law. Ironically the government cares for them the most. Take the case of auto-rickshaws.

There are about 40,000 of them plying in the city, more than half of which are illegal and have no valid license. Except the miniscule few that run on LPG, all others use a typical concocted fuel that creates heavy pollution.

Everybody knows this but no one can touch them. Similar is the case with both state and private buses. They flout traffic rules with impunity, many buses emit obnoxious fumes, but once again you and I cannot dare touch them.

Looking at it more closely you’ll find that about a lakh or so people (40000 auto owners + 20000 bus owners + 40000 street hawkers) wield enormous power that can hold the 18 million (taking the greater metropolis) strong city dwellers to ransom. They find support from the inactivity of the government, so they do whatever they like.

Will this continue for ever? Perhaps not. This will continue till the balance of power decisively shifts from these people to the mainly middle class who mostly abide by the laws. Lately, such shifts have been occurring in other cities like Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, etc.

Kolkata’s turn will come at least 10-12 years from now. When people with money and sense of well-being start congregating in the city from other parts of the country and abroad, they will exert pressure for improvement in living standard.

It is then and only then that the government will find it costly politically to nurture the vote bank of ‘poor’ people who have no qualms to make life hell for all others.

Till then we’ve no alternative than fret and fume from time to time like Mr. Wilson and let respiratory disease take its toll.