TOUGH PATH TO PEACE IN THE BODO BASTION

The Tribune, 8.8.2016

Suspected insurgents belonging to National Democratic Front of Bodoland, Songbijit faction NDFB(S) killed 14 innocent civilians and injured another twenty, some critically, in a broad daylight dastardly attack in the busy Balajan Tiniali (trijuction) next to Kokrajhar the headquarters of Bodoland Territorial Council(BTC) governing the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts(BTAD). As per eyewitness accounts three militants donning army fatigues and wielding AK series rifles and grenades arrived in the market in an autorickshaw around noon and opened indiscriminate fire on unsuspecting civilians inflicting huge casualty unknown in the last two years in the area. It is also believed that a grenade was also lobbed to cause large scale damage to life and property.

The security forces and the state police patrolling the area were quick to respond and engage the militants neutralizing one and injuring the other while the other(s) managed to escape leaving behind AK series rifles, grenades and some documents. The slain militant has been identified as Monjoy Islari who had run away from home to join the dreaded outfit more than a decade ago. NDFB(S) has denied its involvement in the massacre but security agencies confirm that the attack bears the telltale signature of the banned militant group. The denial to own the massacre could be because of killing of a large number of Bodos in the indiscriminate firing and resultant apprehension of loss of support from the community.

BTAD constitutes of four districts of Assam, namely Kokrajhar, Chirang, Udalguri and Baksa. Kokrajhar and Chirang are worst affected by NDFB(S) violence.

NDFB(S) is the anti-talk group that refuses to engage with the state government and is the sole armed violent group in these districts. It broke away from the parent NDFB(R) led by Ranjan Daimary in 2012. Ranjan Daimary faction has been in negotiations with the central and state governments. Most of Ranjan cadres are in designated camps and are not involved in any violent incidents. The avowed goal of NDFB(S) is creation of Bodoland and most of its ire is targeted at the Bengali Muslim immigrants who are feared to reduce the Bodos to minority in the BTAD. This faction is known for brutality and particularly severe on suspected police informers and those showing any resistance to the faction’s demands of ransom or protection money, rations and harbor. It is not yet clear whether the August 5 assault was in reaction to the July 17 encounter in which three of its cadres were neutralized by the security forces or to re-establish its dominance by terrorizing shopkeepers and civilians to ensure steady supply of rations and cash to sustain its armed struggle. The faction’s leader Songbijit is hiding in Myanmar while the de facto leader Bedei and the Platoon Commander of Kokrajhar Mwdan are alleged to be in a safe camp somewhere in Bhutan keeping the outfit alive. The three militants killed on July 17 were also trying to cross over to Bhutan with rations and supplies.

2014 was a watershed year in the NDFB(S) related violence. The year was marked by large-scale violence at the hands of NDFB(S) and communal violence in the BTAD area that resulted in the death of 125 civilians and 16 NDFB(S) cadres. Major offensive was successfully launched in the four districts to cripple the capability and terror of the group. The state police did an excellent job by providing specific technical intelligence and carrying out numerous operations with the security forces to create disarray among the rank and file of this group. Year 2015 witnessed minimal violence and no casualty in the area except of NDFB(S) cadres, as the security forces gained upper hand. Efforts to regroup and equip itself had been going on and cross border movement of NDFB(S) cadres to Bhutan has been continuously reported.

India shares 699 km border with Bhutan. Out of this, Assam has 267 kilometer border with Bhutan which is guarded by the youngest border guarding force, SSB. The terrain between the two countries abutting Assam is difficult and particularly tough during monsoons when innocuous streams, both seasonal and perennial, become ferocious rendering them impossible to negotiate. Bhutan has also borne the brunt of NDFB violence in the past and has been pointing to frequent movement of terrorists from India to Bhutan despite presence of SSB camps every 2-3 kilometers along the border. In almost all cases of violent attacks on the civilians and security forces, NDFB(S) cadres are believed to take refuge in the Bhutanese territory which does not have any significant deployment of the Royal Bhutan. However, in 2003-2004, the Royal Bhutan Army had launched a campaign codenamed ‘Operation All Clear’ to destroy all the NDFB camps, but the porous border has remained the security force’s Achilles heel.

It is customary for the insurgent groups in the north eastern states to perpetrate violence on civil population and security forces before national festivals. But the scale and fury of the attack does not seem to be a tokenism and the group seems to have reinvented itself. The state police, the Army and other security forces deployed in the area have been successful in bringing peace to the area due to excellent synergy and intelligence sharing. Some of the assets that moved away from Kokrajhar may have to be brought back to provide proper leadership and teeth to day to day operations. In the wake of this attack, the security apparatus in Kokrajhar will have to move with utmost alacrity by once again recalibrating its strategy by assessing the efficacy and efficiency of the state police, security forces on IS duties and the border guarding force to deliver maximum damage to the brutal anti talk NDFB(S) faction. The new political dispensation in Assam will have to support its police and security forces to continue relentless campaign against this faction in the interest of peace and communal harmony in the region.

The article can also be read at the following link:
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/tough-path-to-peace-in-the-bodo-bastion/277248.html

Millennium Mess

The Tribune, August 1, 2016

Gurgaon now Gurugram boasts of being the Millenium City. What earned this sobriquet could be the offices of several IT companies and grand edifices and Malls which are touted not as shopping places but as a destination and tourist attraction.

While concentration of IT companies brings in thousands of young minds to the city along with revenue, it is certainly not this alone that should earn Gurugram the sobriquet. Silicon Valley in the US is home to who's who of world IT industry. But then Silicon Valley is also known for the 6th highest GDP in the world, the best air and water supply anywhere on the planet Earth. The infrasturcture is awesome and always being upgraded.

And here is our Millennium City overwhelmed by one hour's downpour. Thousands of motorists stranded everywhere. Engines stalled. People abondoned their cars on the roads and trudged home in knee deep water. NH 8 was flooded and continues to be submerged.

And to make matters worse there was a power shutdown. The Police Commissioner had to come on the radio to request workers to exercise the choice of working from their home, if they could. In fact he was defending those whose inaction and inefficiency led to traffic chaos in Gurugram.

Most of us believe that the reason for these ills is faulty planning and engineering. Most of the HUDA sectors have been carved out by acquiring village land. Each village used to have a big pond which served as a receptor of excess water. With the disappearance of these water bodies and disregard to the natural slope of the area storm water management has become difficult.

Unlike Panchkula, Gurugram is not a zero hawker city. You want to sell fruits, just start doing so on any pavement or footpath in Gurgaon. All that you need to do is to perhaps grease the palms of a few unscrupulous municipality or police officials. It is no body's business to see how many hawkers, rehris and other vendors have illegally occupied the public footpaths. What ever trash their businesses generates, goes into the drains which are never cleaned. Cleaning of drains may be a major issue in Delhi but not in your Millennium City. Not even a single cleaning staff was deployed today to clear the plastic and bio waste that clogged the drains.

Thank God the heavens did not decide to open up today! Imagine what would have happened.

It is time the Gurugram officials were slapped on their wrists by their political masters to get their act together and take corrective measures in the next few months.

The article can also be read at the following link:

http://epaper.tribuneindia.com/892508/The-Tribune/TT_01_August_2016#page/9/2

RESEARCH CAN HELP IN TACKLING RADICALS

Following is the test of my article that appeared in The Tribune, dated 15.7.2016

Opinion » Comment

Posted at: Jul 15, 2016, 12:02 AM; last updated: Jul 15, 2016, 1:36 AM (IST) Research can help in tackling radicalsSomesh Goyal

Initiating academic research on counter-terrorism will enable a comprehensive vision rather than a blinkered security point of view. 

Somesh Goyal

THE  recent wave of violence and arrest of large number of IS sympathisers  in the subcontinent show that Muslim youth across all strata of society and level of education are getting drawn to the dangerous path of jihad and Islamic terrorism. Some of them are in their teens, from affluent backgrounds educated in premium liberal schools and colleges are being swayed primarily by the net and televangelists. They abandon normal life and join either the ranks of terrorist outfits operating locally or the IS.

The Bangladesh massacre at the Holey Artisan Bakery in the hip Gulshan area and the subsequent attack at the Idgah by the youth shocked the world and brought the focus on causes of radicalisation. 

The myth that poverty and lack of education among the Muslim youth makes them susceptible to radicalisation seems to be evaporating as smart, city-bred and educated youth from all the continents fall prey to radicalisation and join the cadres of terrorist groups. More than economic reasons, it is the exposure to jihadi literature freely available on the net and social media and distorted and nuanced commentary and speeches creating fears of persecution and need for a befitting response in the service of Allah, that radicalises the youth. They are further guided by a local field operative to the training facilities and so-called battlefields. 

Radicalisation has captured the imagination of security experts all over the globe. Police forces have been able to intercept potential recruits, arrest recruiters and block social media sites and pages with varying degrees of success. In most countries, Intelligence agencies are devoting resources to the study of this phenomenon. The Intelligence organisations and government institutions in India are known to be tight-fisted about their databases and analysis. Nothing much is allowed to spill into the public domain. In the name of security, most of the data is classified too. Whatever data on terrorism is available is through the South Asian Terrorism Portal, a non-government initiative. 

Research by intelligence agencies suffer from over reliance on the security aspect than the understanding of the problem to find holistic answers. Alex P. Schmid  a research fellow at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) and Director of Terrorism Research initiative (TRI) hit the nail on the head when he said: “Clearly the gap between academic research and counter-terrorism intelligence needs to be narrowed. Intelligence agencies and law-enforcement agencies often have too many data but lack time and as well as the analytical skills available in academia to exploit this heap of unprocessed raw data. The problem to get security clearances makes it, however, difficult for researchers to work with primary sources. Most governments keep their in-house information close to their chest.”

We must realise that radicalisation and terrorism is here to stay in the subcontinent and in other parts of the world as well. Perceived discrimination, persecution, hate mongering and economic, social and political disparities will continue to provide fertile ground to terrorist organisations for radicalisation and recruitment of the youth. The government can consider funding research by academia in this field.

We have several good institutes and universities where promising young scholars can be motivated to undertake research and come up with their understanding of the issue which may provide a different perspective than the official version. The conclusions of the studies may even be critical of the security forces' and government's policies and strategies to deal with the problem. But these will help frame better policies and strategies. A Burhan Wani can be killed but what about the thought that produces such radicals? The Indian State needs to invest in decoding the matrix underlying the jihadi mind which is possible only when quality research in this area is initiated and sustained over a long period.

The writer is Director General of Police, Prisons & Correctional Services, Himachal Pradesh. The views expressed are personal

The article can also be read online at:
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/research-can-help-in-tackling-radicals/266049.html

ALLOW THEM TO COME HOME

The release of  Devinderpal Singh Bhullar after more than 20 years in jail for 1993 Delhi blasts was well reported in all print media. It was a significant development so far as applying balm to the frayed temper of the Sikh psyche as a whole is concerned. Parole to convicts is a routine affair but it is not a matter of right. It may be granted to those convicts who exhibit exemplary conduct while serving sentence. But for those convicts who are incarcerated for waging war against the country or participating in terrorist or militant campaigns, the same yardstick of “good conduct” cannot and should not apply. It is indeed a bold decision on the part of the government of the day indicating a new humane and pragmatic approach towards the Sikh militants serving sentences in Indian prisons.

Indian state has shown great flexibility in dealing with various kinds of extremist and militant movements across the country. The government has never shunned dialogue with those who have gone astray. In fact the government has worked overtime to bring such elements back to the mainstream through dialogue and negotiations. Track two diplomacy has been deployed and interlocutors with domain expertise have been engaged to end violence and establish democratic processes ensuring all round development. Reins of some states, particularly in the North East, were handed over to chiefs of extremist groups to end decades of violence and mistrust.

However, the same cannot be said of the Punjab militancy. After almost two decades of mayhem and much damage, the Punjab police under the able leadership of first JF Rebiero and then KPS Gill got the better of militancy. These astute strategists were given free hand and all kinds of support by their political bosses to root out militancy from the soil of Punjab. The brave and doughty people of Punjab also deserve credit for defeating militancy and the nefarious designs of our neighbor. Everyone realized the futility of having a separate state called Khalistan and the idea was buried deep for good.

But it did not have “and they lived happily ever after” end to the militancy. During the 1980s and 1990s thousands of Sikhs from Punjab and other parts of the country fled the country and sought asylum mainly in three countries – UK, Germany and Canada. There were largely three types of escapees: first, those who had actively participated in the militancy and had cases pending against them; second, some feared torture at the hands of the Punjab police because they espoused the cause of Khalistan albeit passively; and lastly, there was a section of youth who cashed on the bogey of militancy to seek asylum abroad to get jobs in their chosen lands of promise. They, in fact, had gone purely for economic reasons.

The police and intelligence establishments in India were genuinely worried about a relapse of the militancy and to deter these escapees from coming back home, exhaustive “Blacklists” were prepared. As it happens in bureaucratic structures, these lists were never reviewed periodically and no door was left open for those who wanted to return home. In fact two generations of Indian citizens have suffered by this rigid stand over the last three decades. Our missions abroad are alleged to have created their own “blacklists” to deny visa even to the deserving ones that further aggravated the situation and spurred alienation even of the moderate elements among the Sikh diaspora. After a lot of hue and cry most of the persons on these lists have been removed in the last few years leaving less than a score who will continue to attract restrictions.

The extant laws and rules in India do not allow consular assistance to those who have sought asylum in other countries. Their virtual status is that of persona non grata. There is urgent need to revisit the policy on the issue. Pending that a lot of our citizens lead a life of disillusionment with their motherland and are being swayed by hardliners who run a Hate India industry in those countries. These people rake in a lot of moolah from gullible Sikhs by espousing the cause of Khalistan. The money so collected is enjoyed by these people and partly spent on the ever flourishing 'industry of hate’. Our neighbor is gleefully stoking discontent among the prime warrior kaum of our nation. It is a travesty of justice that those who founded organisations like All India Sikh Students Federation and should have been brought to book are today on the rolls of the UK government and enjoying public awards.

 The official Blacklist may now have just sixteen names on it, but those on local blacklists face indifference and continued denial of visas to come and kiss the soil of their Punjab. It is for the government to analyse the number of delisted Sikhs who have availed of the newfound freedom to visit their motherland. If many have not paid a visit home, the government or the intelligence agencies must look into the reasons for that and clear any air of mistrust to facilitate at least one visit to Punjab. In fact, we should woo our Sikh brethren stranded or settled abroad due to the two decade of militancy to come back home to allay all fears and misconceptions in their minds.

It is common knowledge that Pakistan wants to bring the ghost of Khalistan back to life and keep the pot boiling in Kashmir. Perception of alienation is being exploited by Pakistan to rekindle militancy in Punjab and J&K. Prevailing socio-economic conditions, rampant unemployment, drug addiction and its flourishing trade and charges of widespread corruption provide fertile ground for sowing the seeds of trouble in Punjab.

The shrill anti-India pitch of some of the Punjabi TV channels in UK and continuous airing of venom against the Indian state and adulatory references to militancy and its protagonists is also denying the young generation an exposure to the truth on the ground back home. A bold policy initiative can pave the way for it and that should be the way forward. If any of the returnees indulge in any anti national activities, strictest possible legal action must be initiated against them. But they deserve an opportunity to establish a fresh bond with their motherland, people and society at large. India can ill afford recurrence of militancy in both the crucial border states of Punjab and J&K. In fact special attention must be paid to insulate the people of these states from the wanton propaganda from across the border for which investments may be made in raising human capital in the bordering and susceptible areas equipped with the latest surveillance and intelligence collection gadgetry.

Prime Minister Modi touched the right cords immediately after his touch down in the UK in November last year when he addressed the Sikhs and lauded their role in the freedom struggle and nation building. He also promised to dismantle the blacklist regime. True to his word the list has been revised and 36 names were dropped further in April this year before his visit to the US. Now the need is to create an environment of trust to facilitate the Sikh NRIs to visit their motherland and in a good number of cases the motherland of their parents.

(This article was published in the Millenium Post on 25 May, 2016)

WILL TWICE BORN B TWICE BORN?

WILL TWICE BORN B TWICE BORN?

Read a story with great interest in which Delhi Metro was asked to explore possibilities of providing hassle-free and exclusive seats to the spoilt section of society who is willing to pay more but will not like to shed its eliteness by travelling in the same compartment as we, the normal citizens do.
Who are these people? Politicians? Bureaucrats? Judges? Business honchos?
DMRC has listed its difficulties in providing VIP treatment. Perhaps in deference to the Apex Court, DMRC does not find the challenge impossible.
But will it end at just providing a luxe compartment? No. The next demand could be a Business/First Class Lounge with Full Service. Escorted entry and seating in the compartment.
The problem is that the mai-baap culture in which we are raised, distances us so fast from the common man that we start treating him as pariah! His problems are his!!
I firmly believe, if our systems have to improve, there should not be any preferential treatment meted out to ANYONE. Car beacons, for instance, were allowed only on emergency service providers, Police and a few Constitutional authorities. Today it has come to be seen as a marked of authority and status, making people clamouring for it. Some, who could, have appropriated these beacons irrespective of their nature of work! Uninterrupted supply of water and electricity to the rich and powerful has made them blind to the suffering of my 95% fellow citizens who do not get assured power supply. If the power and water cuts were equally applied, the rich and powerful would have worked tirelessly to improve the situation. Providing assured power supply to Nuclear Plants, Vital installations, agriculture and industry is understandable, but to residences - my foot.
Whenever and wherever the rich and powerful have pulled out of a system or field, that system or field has suffered from negligence and retardation. We all went to sarkari schools and sarkari hospitals in the 60s and 70s and travelled in the DTC buses. Once the rich and powerful rejected these systems and went for private schools, hospitals and personal cars and para modes of transport, these systems decayed because the rich and powerful also the decision makers did not know what ailed these systems. The immediate, first hand feedback was not available and discussed at the dinner table in the evening.
A friend in the UK has just informed that the London underground has no class divisions. The British Lords do not find it awkward to travel with the commoners. But our Lordships?
Therefore, the Apex Court, please don't perpetuate classes in our country that already suffers from feudal mindset.

ODD EVEN – ROADMAP

 The Delhi government has seemingly set new standards in public participation in governance by seeking suggestions on the reimplementation of the ODD EVEN formula in Delhi beleaguered with the worst pollution a national capital has seen anywhere in the world. Detractors of AAP could very well say that this exercise is no more than a gimmick to buy time before public transport system is shored up to take extra load. Whatever be the motivation, the endeavor should be genuine to make “Meri Dilli” a cleaner city – notwithstanding the strike by the safai karamcharis.

The gains from the 15-day trial were significant. First and foremost was the willingness of all sections of society to embrace the formula readily and willingly than anticipated by the doomsday sayers. The denizens of Delhi have shown maturity on the issue of pollution and its far-reaching implications on health and future generations.

Second, the pollution levels came down for sure. How much – can be debatable depending on which side of the fence you are. Some of my friends who suffer from asthma reported that they could breathe a bit easy during the trial period. The physicians and pulmonologists are not going to report drop in number of case of respiratory ailments because the damage that has been caused by the pollution will take some time to reverse or show positive results. Most of the scientific studies indicated fall in pollution peak levels.

Third, the traffic snarls became a thing of the past. The speed of the traffic also increased by over 10 km. These are significant gains. Higher speed of city traffic with lesser stoppages and snarls means greater fuel efficiency and lesser pollution. The most significant gain from this jam free traffic was lesser stress suffered by the motorists. The experiment did contribute to calming of nerves and lesser mental stress. Driving in choc-o-bloc traffic can be a draining and frustrating experience.

Fourth, the Metro and DTC ridership recorded 10% and 3% increase. Lack of fleet on the part of DTC could be the reason for lesser increase in ridership than Metro. A number of people who switched to Metro and experienced the ride free of stress have vowed to continue with their commute using public transport. Using public transport is a habit. Both my sons who studied in Delhi and are settled in the US are happy using Metro on their “annual pilgrimage” to Delhi. They find driving a car on Delhi roads a dreadful and stressing experience. More and more people need to use public transport. It is heartening to see that Premier Modi has used and taken on board foreign dignitaries a few times in the past. Such news and visuals motivate people to follow suit.

Metro and DTC authorities need to increase capacity by working overtime. As the penetration of Metro increases covering more areas and another 3,000 buses augment DTC fleet, Delhites will be willing to change their lifestyle adopting public transport.

A word of caution about para modes of transport. Please do not issue more licenses to autos and e-rickshaws because they choke the roads by parking wherever they please. These vehicles do provide the last mile connectivity. But then, the government needs to undertake a study to fix number of such vehicles in a particular locality and create parking places for these. Growth of para modes is an indicator of failure of a public transport system.

Fifth, a big polluter is the 50,000 trucks that enter Delhi in the night to deliver essentials and 28% (?) of the pollution. An out of box solution could be creation of delivery hubs in all four directions to receive the supplies and then transport in CNG vehicles to final destinations. It may reduce the margins of profit by a percent or two, but will rid the capital of 28% pollution. The Apex Court has directed to provide alternate routes to the trucks destined for other cities but currently passing through Delhi.

Sixth, another source of pollution (24%?) are 50 lakh odd two wheelers that had surprisingly been given an exemption during the trial period. AAP government may see votes in the aam aadmi on the bikes, but they surely are doing a great disservice to the cause of arresting pollution and taking meaningful measures to effectively mitigate the situation. A large number of these two wheelers have 2 stroke engines that cause four to six times more pollution. These should be identified and taken off roads. The best would be to destroy these so that these do not find a market in tier 2 or 3 causing pollution there.

Seventh, the Kejriwal government will have to look at the Singapore model where purchase of vehicles is rationed and license fees for the second vehicle is prohibitive. The government may consider rationing vehicles to just one per family provided the buyer is able to prove parking within the premises of the house. Second vehicle should be allowed where parking is available and the license fee could be fixed equal to the cost of the acquisition of the vehicle.

Eighth, the Delhi government should push for fuel reforms. Instead of waiting for 2019 for Bharat Stage 6 fuel, it should be made available by 2017. All automakers should be asked to produce and sell Stage 6 vehicles in India straight away.

Ninth, the governments at the center and the states should stop buying staff cars and those held by them should be auctioned straightaway. Let all officers get transportation allowance and drive to work. This should be applicable to all pillars of government – legislative, executive and judiciary. By providing exemptions and defining a new caste system in bureaucracy will defeat the purpose.

Kejriwal has asked whether the second incarnation of ODD EVEN should be temporary measure or a permanent one. My vote is for a permanent Odd and Even regime, which will force change in attitudes and habits so far as use of public transport is concerned.

THE YOUTH WILL MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL

The second day of the Odd-Even initiative remained impressive. Delhi looked so motor worthy - only if some driving sense could also be drilled into motorists.

The youth have been seen fervently debating the merits of this system thought it curtails their movement. They all want to do it in the national interest. It is resolve like this that makes such schemes successful. Discipline has to be voluntary and vehicle owners are showing the same in ample measure.

Today being a Saturday was a light day. Tomorrow will not be any different. Taste of the pudding will be tried on Monday. I sign off till then. Happy motoring on a balmy Sunday!

ODD MUST GET EVEN

 “You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. 

I hope some day you'll join us, and the world will be as one.“

(Lines from a John Lennon song. Also tweeted by Kejriwal)

The first day of Odd Even experiment in the national capital has evoked mixed response. The Delhi Chief Minister and his transport minister have expressed satisfaction over the day’s outcome claiming some respite from pollution. The motorists at large were happy with lakhs of cars off the road. The roads looked wider and traffic thinner, thanks also to the school holidays, which naturally keeps thousands of yellow buses off the roads.  The opposition parties dished out guarded responses albeit almost predicting the failure of the experiment.

The meteorological conditions prevailing in the region have already provided a healing touch with pollution levels down by more than 50 percent from the last week. Nature seems to be siding with the AAP government! In fact, as a citizen of Delhi, every body should come together to fight the menace of pollution that is affecting the lives of all of us inhabiting this great city that happens to be the greenest capital of the world.

The IIT report on pollution is quite damning. And the initiative of the Delhi government is quite off the mark as well. Maximum pollution (24%?) is being caused by 50 lakh odd two wheelers that have surprisingly been given an exemption giving opportunity to AAP government critics. AAP government may see votes in the aam aadmi on the bikes, but they surely are doing a great disservice to the cause of arresting pollution and taking meaningful measures to effectively mitigate the situation. The matter is in the court and a judicial pronouncement may be expected on the 6^th of January. The AAP government should at least isolate two wheelers with two stroke engines that cause 4 to 6 times more pollution. 

Another big polluter is the 50,000 trucks that enter Delhi in the night to deliver essentials and 28% (?) of the pollution. An out of box solution could be creation of delivery hubs in all four directions to receive the supplies and then transport in CNG vehicles to final destinations. It may reduce the margins of profit by a percent or two, but will rid the capital of 28% pollution.

The IIT report finds road dust and solid waste to be bigger culprits than automobiles. The automakers fortified with this report in their arsenal are pointing an accusing finger at the misplaced restriction only on vehicles. Sweeping of roads and wide ranging construction activities to bolster Delhi’s infrastructure would call for radical solutions. Delhi government has promised to start vacuum cleaning of roads come April. Only time will tell how far the experiment will be successful. At present there is no low cost technology available to suit the Indian conditions. The mechanized sweepers acquired by various Municipal bodies are lying idle for one or the other reason. Timely completion of infrastructure projects in and around Delhi will also make its denizens breathe a bit easier. The Centre and the Delhi governments SHOULD put a premium on conclusion of these projects.

The government's decision to add another 15,000 three wheelers will take the number of these low cost means of commute to one lakh. While it may be expedient to add these para modes of transport, such measures do not augur well for an efficient public transport system. The government should have a blueprint for phasing these out by providing a credible public transport system relying on metro and bus connectivity.

Those who anticipated a showdown between Kejriwal and Delhi Police Commissioner Bassi must be disappointed by the maturity shown by both the sides. A meeting between the Transport minister and the Commissioner signaled an end to verbal spat. Training of volunteers by the Delhi Traffic police officials put paid to all speculation of a showdown or non-cooperation by the Delhi Police. The Commissioner made very apolitical and professional statements and ensured that the common dilliwala was not inconvenienced during the implementation of the scheme. The transport department should pay special attention to timely issue of pollution certification of all vehicles. Random checks and heavy penalties will yield positive results. 

The citizens of NCR also deserve kudos for supporting this singular initiative. Very few even numbered cars were seen on the roads. Whatsapp groups were abuzz with pictures of these violators but the numbers remained insignificant. Only 200 grave offenders were challaned against 3500 others who got away with a rose flower stick. Let’s us see what happens on the Even day. The real test, in any case, will be on Monday when NCR will report for work in full force.