<p>Bengaluru, an important metropolitan city and Silicon Valley of India, also suffers from bad air quality and as reported, nearly 36 per cent of children suffer from weak lungs. This has implications for the economy of the city in two ways. <br /><br /></p>.<p>First, the children are weak and therefore less productive than their optimal levels, impacting their performance not only in childhood but also in later years of life. As is well researched and documented, weak children end up with stunted growth and lower wages during the adulthood. <br /><br />Second, the state exchequer has to incur expenditure in providing treatment for these children. Thus, this issue needs urgent attention and possible solutions. The main factor is air pollution which could be because of chemicals or dust in the air. Mainly, air quality is impacted by carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, as well as ozone formed by chemical reaction between nitrogen dioxide and carbon-based molecules. <br /><br />Vehicles, including aircraft, account for nearly 50 per cent of air pollution in many cities in India. This pollution is attributed to fuel and inter-action of vehicular tyres with road surface. <br /><br />One important factor of air pollution could be congestion on roads and in Bengaluru, this is rampant des-pite recent measures by authorities.<br /><br />Tackling road congestionThere are different ways to address the issue of congestion on the roads which has implications for pollution and health problems. These alternatives could be long term or short term. Long term solutions, which are environment-friendly, could use street cars, metro, monorail, and widening of roads.<br /><br />In the short term, the government could immediately consider the following simple and result-oriented measures: Stagger office timings from illustratively 7 am to 11 am as starting time and 4 pm to 8 pm as closing time. Further staggering should be synchronised between public and private companies. <br /><br />The staggering should also be applicable to small shops and markets; with the widespread availability of wi-fi, allowing employees to work from home one day a week, thereby reducing traffic on the road by 20 per cent. <br /><br />In many cities across the world, one-way lanes help smooth movement of traffic, and therefore, in Indian cities this can be explored.<br /><br />As parking is relatively cheap and easily available in India, people tend to use private cars instead of public transport. <br /><br />Promote public transportTo encourage people to use public transport one alternative could be to make public parking prohibitively expensive. The government could incentivise use of public transport by reimbursing the cost of travel in public transport incurred by the employee. <br /><br />Companies/offices with large number of employees can be encouraged to provide buses for their employees to avoid use of private transport. Regulate the movement of auto rickshaws and taxis on the road by stipulating working hours like morning/ afternoon shift for taxis and autorickshaws. This can be achieved by negotiating with associations of taxi and autorickshaws, as well as with taxi companies. <br /><br />To ensure swift and smooth movement of traffic, municipal corporation can help by providing smooth surface of road and correcting pot holes immediately; use of CNG has helped in reducing pollution in Delhi and can be experimented in Bengaluru as well. <br /><br />Old vehicles are generally known to pollute more than new vehicles and therefore, phasing out of old vehicles should be made mandatory. <br /><br />In view of the limited capacity of roads in Bengaluru, movement of lorries should be monitored and restricted to non busy hours as is being strictly followed in national capital region of Delhi. The markets could be opened on Sundays and one day closure could be considered on week days to reduce traffic on the road during the working week.<br /><br />These measures, specially short term, would need active participation of citizens and welfare associations, as well as automobile and market associations in the city. <br /><br />Such solutions will help in making Bengaluru a much safer city for our children and therefore, should be taken up on a priority basis after widespread debate and consultations with its citizens.<br /><br />(<em>The writer is RBI Chair Professor of Economics, IIM- Bangalore</em>)</p>
<p>Bengaluru, an important metropolitan city and Silicon Valley of India, also suffers from bad air quality and as reported, nearly 36 per cent of children suffer from weak lungs. This has implications for the economy of the city in two ways. <br /><br /></p>.<p>First, the children are weak and therefore less productive than their optimal levels, impacting their performance not only in childhood but also in later years of life. As is well researched and documented, weak children end up with stunted growth and lower wages during the adulthood. <br /><br />Second, the state exchequer has to incur expenditure in providing treatment for these children. Thus, this issue needs urgent attention and possible solutions. The main factor is air pollution which could be because of chemicals or dust in the air. Mainly, air quality is impacted by carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, as well as ozone formed by chemical reaction between nitrogen dioxide and carbon-based molecules. <br /><br />Vehicles, including aircraft, account for nearly 50 per cent of air pollution in many cities in India. This pollution is attributed to fuel and inter-action of vehicular tyres with road surface. <br /><br />One important factor of air pollution could be congestion on roads and in Bengaluru, this is rampant des-pite recent measures by authorities.<br /><br />Tackling road congestionThere are different ways to address the issue of congestion on the roads which has implications for pollution and health problems. These alternatives could be long term or short term. Long term solutions, which are environment-friendly, could use street cars, metro, monorail, and widening of roads.<br /><br />In the short term, the government could immediately consider the following simple and result-oriented measures: Stagger office timings from illustratively 7 am to 11 am as starting time and 4 pm to 8 pm as closing time. Further staggering should be synchronised between public and private companies. <br /><br />The staggering should also be applicable to small shops and markets; with the widespread availability of wi-fi, allowing employees to work from home one day a week, thereby reducing traffic on the road by 20 per cent. <br /><br />In many cities across the world, one-way lanes help smooth movement of traffic, and therefore, in Indian cities this can be explored.<br /><br />As parking is relatively cheap and easily available in India, people tend to use private cars instead of public transport. <br /><br />Promote public transportTo encourage people to use public transport one alternative could be to make public parking prohibitively expensive. The government could incentivise use of public transport by reimbursing the cost of travel in public transport incurred by the employee. <br /><br />Companies/offices with large number of employees can be encouraged to provide buses for their employees to avoid use of private transport. Regulate the movement of auto rickshaws and taxis on the road by stipulating working hours like morning/ afternoon shift for taxis and autorickshaws. This can be achieved by negotiating with associations of taxi and autorickshaws, as well as with taxi companies. <br /><br />To ensure swift and smooth movement of traffic, municipal corporation can help by providing smooth surface of road and correcting pot holes immediately; use of CNG has helped in reducing pollution in Delhi and can be experimented in Bengaluru as well. <br /><br />Old vehicles are generally known to pollute more than new vehicles and therefore, phasing out of old vehicles should be made mandatory. <br /><br />In view of the limited capacity of roads in Bengaluru, movement of lorries should be monitored and restricted to non busy hours as is being strictly followed in national capital region of Delhi. The markets could be opened on Sundays and one day closure could be considered on week days to reduce traffic on the road during the working week.<br /><br />These measures, specially short term, would need active participation of citizens and welfare associations, as well as automobile and market associations in the city. <br /><br />Such solutions will help in making Bengaluru a much safer city for our children and therefore, should be taken up on a priority basis after widespread debate and consultations with its citizens.<br /><br />(<em>The writer is RBI Chair Professor of Economics, IIM- Bangalore</em>)</p>