The term smog was coined about 100 years ago in England and was the result of heavy deposits of sulphur dioxide in the air from burning coal for electricity production combining with moisture in atmosphere. A hundred years down the line, smog is dotting every city and village, big or small. Ironically, although technology is helping industry to somehow control pollution, we are adding multiple such polluting industries on the roads every day. Sunita Narain has rightly pointed out in her article “Fighting Delhi’s smog” (November 26) that 1,400 vehicles are added per day. If the NCR region is included, the figure would be even higher, since Gurgaon adds 330 vehicles a day.
We may follow China’s example to curb the vehicle explosion on the roads by restricting odd- and even-numbered vehicles on alternate days. I would not be afraid to suggest that we must force people to buy carbon credits to use their cars. After all that is how the western countries are keeping their polluting industry running. Smog is just the first warning signal; acid rain is the next step towards eventually wiping aquatic and plant life from the earth.
Vinay Singhal Gurgaon
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