Namma Bengaluru.. Namma Auto Fume!

I hope I got that right!

I had the fortune of travelling by an auto (Rickshaw) this morning after a long time. The company cab, though not air conditioned, still protects you a bit from the pollution. A little trip in an auto really jogs your memory!

It is all ok if you have a blocked nose, the you can actually fool yourself by pretending that the diesel smoke is actually the mist of some distant unseen mountain. If you don't have a blocked nose, never fear, it'll be running into the records by the time you get to work! It is terrible for a person with resporatory problems or is allergic to dust.

I don't know if I am just being nostalgic (overly), but it seems to me that it wasn't this bad 3 years ago when I landed here. Seems to me its getting worse every year! And that too with all these trees around.

So, everyone knows its the diesel, the gov says that most auto's are fitted with LPG kits, but the ones that are not seem to be doing enough damage anyway! Try breathing when one such auto is throttling away next to you in traffic. Why can't ALL auto's be fitted with LPG?? AND the government buses! Some of these buses need to be scrapped, seriously.

I know deisel is cheaper that petrol, but I really think we should think about the environment when we purchase a car. We get LPG cars too (Atleast the small ones). Electric scooters should have been ruling the city, but in 8 months I have hardly seen 3-4 on the road. They are cost effect and cause no pollution what so ever! Reva is can still be spotted once a week maybe, but still, not as much as it should be.

We all know the answers - car pool, use elecrtric cars, switch to LPG, blah blah - but no one ACTUALLY follows it.

I wonder why.

The electricity board had to spend a bomb on television and radio ads announcing (Rather obviously) 'Save fuel, yaani, save money'. they had to link saving fuel to financial gain because only that would get the consumer attention. Who cares about the environment anyway right?

I for one have vowed not to use an Auto until and unless my life (or my job) depends on it. And if I get myself a bike, I am getting an electric one. I hope the people who read this will think about it too.