By Japan K Pathak: Watched this heading(image attached) this morning in city edition of the Times of India and I started searching whether Ahmedabad’s name was mentioned in this list or not. If it was the decade of 1990s or say beginning of 2000s, I could simply see this list to search for the rank of Ahmedabad.

There was a time when color-scheme for auto rickshaws in Ahmedabad was yellow and black. If you dress in black and yellow, others would tease you calling ‘rickshaw’. Most of these black and yellow rickshaws would use petrol as fuel, but there were thousands of other rickshaws that would use kerosene as fuel too. Various scientific results on air quality would give top rank to Ahmedabad while making list of the most polluted cities in India. Such survey results would obviously find place in the newspapers prominently. Put aside the survey results and news reports, one would by his/her own experience feel how poor is air quality in Ahmedabad by going outside and taking breath.

Then was the time of vision. A time to change the situation. It was decided that all rickshaws, in thousands would compulsory use CNG as fuel. The color scheme of rickshaws wound change from yellow and black to green and black. The government also ordered compulsory fitment of electrostatic precipitators to chimneys of boilers on factories.

Implementation of such decisions may look routine but just imagine the responsibilities added to the government. You would need gas port (LNG port), handling infrastructure, pipeline, gas grid, city based gas distribution network, gas stations and skill and knowledge for huge shift to gas (so came PDPU). While doing all this, there would be chances of small and big mistakes, allegations by opposition, PILs, land acquisition related troubles and obvious disappointment (for a brief period) among the people who are going to be affected by change.

It was not an easy task. But it was taken up and completed. It was done in front of our eyes. And the city of Ahmedabad which was ranked fourth in country in terms of RSPM presence in residential areas in year 2001 improved its air quality and jumped to 66th rank in year 2008 (source: https://t.co/NxsFflC5oM). And these were not just cold, government supplied figures but we could feel the change in the air, while moving in the city.

The situation is not such that we have become the world best in air quality. We are not among the best in the world in terms of air quality, but if we compare to other cities in the country or the worst lot int he world, then we have improved a lot, we have not just stepped but jumped ahead in good direction. There’s lot to be done. If that is not done, the present-day government in the state should attract condemnation for sure. But whatever has been done, the direction that has been taken, need to be noted.

If Narendrabhai as a Chief Minister gave leadership position to Gujarat in the domain of gas shift, the present government in Gujarat needs to work hard to ensure that Gujarat get leadership position in the domains of electric fuel and clean energy. It should be visible, it should be felt and experienced by the people. The governments of present days are continuously under scrutiny. The government will need to see that air quality remain well and even further improve. Just managing the affairs is not enough. Walking extra mile, bringing disruption/change for better is a real call for governments of present day.

DeshGujarat