[Reader-list] The politics of CNG conversion

[mahesh sarma]

Contending techno-paradigms  for  contested public spaces: Interrogating Delhi’s pollution, public transport and  prescribed  solutions 

Cities change and mega-cites change massively. Though technologies like  the metro, the high rises, the pre-fabs, the malls,  CNG, ring rail, and so on appear to drive these changes, a  quick look also communicates  certain politics behind each of these technologies. The objective of this study is to shine some light on to these politics, especially since they get hidden in the brilliance of the technologies they spin-off. I intend doing this by examining in depth one of the most visible and massive technology  brought to bear upon us in the recent past, the complete conversion of the Delhi’s road based public transportation system, into CNG mode. I wish to examine the context under which such a transformation was warranted, the process in which it was ushered in, the actors involved in the whole process, their agendas, both stated and unstated, the interesting process in which  the choices were brought in to the public consciousness, and the manner of negotiation and selection, and finally its results and consequences, in short the politics of CNG conversion.

Context:

True to the contrarian  pulls that characterised the  Indian developmental project, Delhi too grew haphazardly, where in the past and the present, the industries and middle class, the ruling elite and the begging poor, the serf and the landlord led an uneasy, but mutually dependent co-existence.  By mid –80s   a host of initiatives, went on to question this  developmental trajectory which  Delhi was experiencing. Led by middle –class or upper middle class elite, these questioners went on to criticise the outward manifestations of these uneasy existence, like the slums of Delhi, without ever bothering to acknowledge the fundamental  political problems they represent. Their preferred vehicle was the PIL.  One of them was M.C. Metha Vs. Union of India,  on curtailing air pollution in Delhi. 

The Issue:

Delhi, being the capital city of the country, and blessed with a  wide road network and a  rich  population, was home to an unusually huge number of vehicles, largely  private owned . Delhi also  had a sizeable  number of public transport vehicles which were older than a decade.  Thanks also to burgeoning small and medium scale industries, the air pollution in Delhi reached alarming proportions. This led to the massive increase in health problems asthma etc. Delhi was also in the threat of losing its blue sky .  As NGOs like Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), and Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI)  brought about massive campaigns, regarding the problem and solutions, advocate Metha filed a PIL, in the Supreme Court  seeking directions to force the Govt. of India to act. 

After series of confabulations the Supreme Court give its initial verdict, which among other things ordered the conversion of the entire fleet of Delhi’s public transport into GNG based vehicles in 1998. While the issue was bitterly contested in the public domain the state kept to itself, with disastrous consequences in 2001 when the march 31st deadline for conversion approached. With too much of drama, breast beating, chest-thumbing and one-upmanship the state did achieve full conversion over a period of time and  the public were led to believe that we are on our way to a “ Clean Delhi  Green Delhi in GNG powered bus. The verdict on how green Delhi is still open, the debate on particulate matter,  Nox Vs.Sox, CNG Vs.Ultra low sulphur diesel still continues.

Myths, Realties and  then Realties:

a)	Is Delhi’s pollution primarily due to Public transport? 

A cursory look at data says public transport vehicles account for less than 10 % of Delhi’s vehicular population, and vehicular pollution is about 20% of the total pollution in Delhi.
Questions:  It would be interesting to examine the process by which the poor, public transport was made into Villain No.1.One needs to examine the players involved, the processes adopted and public perception and participation.  

b)	Assuming that vehicular pollution is a  major factor, is CNG the only answer?

Again the verdict seems to be divided. There was the Ultra low sulphur diesel alternative, there was Delhi metro, electric buses and so on. 

Questions: Why  and how was CNG chosen as the Solution No.1, what role did the experts play, and how judiciary arrived at such a technology bound solution? What role the different NGOs played, what were their agendas, and finally what role did the mass media play in the projection and presentation of alternatives.

c)	Where does the  executive stop and judiciary begin and where is the legislature in the whole affair?

The whole CNG issue was conceptualised, debated, finalised, executed ,implemented and monitored in the portals of the judicially. The executive meagrely executed, at the threat of imprisonment for contempt and court and interestingly the legislature slept through the episode waking up to conceptualise  new emission norms at the very late stages of controversy. 

Questions: The court was meagrely interpreting the norms of the Air pollution control act. Why did the executive not sue motto implemented them earlier?. What prevented the state from presenting alternatives before the court? Why was the legislature  allowed to be by-passed? Who  were the beneficiaries of the silence? What role did the prevailing political equations play in the fiasco?

These are the broad issues I intend examining in case I  get the fellowship. They nature and contents of the questions may change  based on facts gathered, I have reasons to believe that the process of policy making in the country is increasingly exclusionary and focussed on the most vocal sections of the population, though these sections may be a minor constituent of the whole populace. Such a decision making process may not be conducive for a democratic country. I propose  that the CNG conversion issue is a pointer to not only the changing equations between the important arms  of the state, but also the manner in which aspirations of the common man or general public is assembled, analysed and communicated in the Indian polity.

I am still reading on all these questions and i am now struggling with more questions than i started with. 


B.Mahesh Sarma,
Researcher
Centre for Studies in Science Policy
Jawaharlal Nehru University
New Delhi. 110 067
Ph.+91-11- 26100962
Mobile:9868090468
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