Of emission tax and traffic gridlock
Monday, 11 April 2011
Shamsul Huq Zahid
Experimentations to solve problems that otherwise need different kinds of solution are galore in this country. Government agencies instead of addressing the core issues sometimes come up with ridiculous solutions to problems. Take for instance the case of horrendous traffic situation in Dhaka. The authorities concerned have tried different solutions, such as introduction of lanes on major streets, seat belts for drivers of automobiles, banning of old trucks and buses, to ease the traffic congestion. But the situation has remained unchanged. Rather, on occasions, it turns out to be worse. Many commuters might have witnessed how many worried higher secondary school certificate (HSC) examinees on Tuesday last, the first day of the examination, left their vehicles, both motorized and non-motorized, stuck up in severe traffic gridlock, in a hurry and literally ran to the examination centres. Some female examinees were seen in tears. Since they have learnt the lesson on the first day, most examinees, instead of going for last-minute revision of answers to questions, now start for examination centres very early. If it takes half an hour to cover the distance between the residence and the examination centre of an examinee under usual traffic situation, he or she now starts, at least, two hours early to ensure timely arrival at the examination centre. This is, however, everyday experience of the residents of Dhaka city who deserve appreciation for demonstrating extraordinary capacity to bear with odds of different kinds without protest. They have learnt to live with frequent load-shedding, disruption in gas supply to their cooking stoves and shortage of other civic amenities. Their unique tolerance level has, to be honest, encouraged the agencies concerned to be more indifferent to the problems encountered by the city dwellers. However, because of media attention, the government agencies concerned or the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC), from time to time, do try some superfluous or cosmetic solutions to city problems. Those who enforce such programmes are also aware of the net outcomes. Yet they deliberately do it just to divert attention of the people. In fact, the agencies concerned, after a brief period, are found to be uninterested even in enforcing their own programmes. The ministry of environment and forest, according to a media report, has recently come up with a ridiculous proposal to impose 'Emission Tax' on users of old and substandard automotives in the country. The ministry is now, reportedly, preparing a guideline on the introduction of the tax from the next financial year. The objective of the new tax is to help reduce air pollution and traffic congestion in Dhaka city. There is no denying that the level of air pollution on account of motor vehicles in Dhaka city has declined substantially following the withdrawal of two-stroke three wheelers and large-scale CNG conversion of automobiles. When the two-stroke auto-rickshaws used to rule the Dhaka, its air generally remained filled up with pungent-smelling white fumes. Many commuters and also traffic police used masks to avoid inhaling of toxic fumes. The situation now is of course better than before as far as air pollution of Dhaka city is concerned. If imposed, the first victim of emission tax will be the petrol-run vehicles belonging to the police department. Why is the environment ministry considering imposition of the tax when it is failing to enforce its own law that provides for imposing fines on the air-polluting motor vehicles? The department of environment is rarely found to enforce laws against pollutant vehicles. Besides, the observation that the proposed emission tax would help ease the traffic system because of the reduced import of motor vehicles is not at all tenable. The imposition of exorbitant duty on import of motor vehicles for private use or proposed emission tax to help cut the flow of cars on the streets in fact highlights the government's incapability of taking the bull by the horns. Owning car cannot be a crime, if one invests his or her honestly earned income for the purpose. The National Board of Revenue is there to see whether the owner of a car is a tax-compliant individual or not. By discouraging people from owning their own vehicles through various restrictive measures, the authorities in fact are trying to cover up their inability to solve the city's severe traffic problem. If the government could ensure an efficient, comfortable and fast mass transport system in Dhaka city, many people would not have used their own cars excepting for weekends and holidays. So, instead of trying some unrealistic programmes and projects, it should better concentrate on efforts for putting in place an efficient mass transport system for the Dhakites.
Experimentations to solve problems that otherwise need different kinds of solution are galore in this country. Government agencies instead of addressing the core issues sometimes come up with ridiculous solutions to problems. Take for instance the case of horrendous traffic situation in Dhaka. The authorities concerned have tried different solutions, such as introduction of lanes on major streets, seat belts for drivers of automobiles, banning of old trucks and buses, to ease the traffic congestion. But the situation has remained unchanged. Rather, on occasions, it turns out to be worse. Many commuters might have witnessed how many worried higher secondary school certificate (HSC) examinees on Tuesday last, the first day of the examination, left their vehicles, both motorized and non-motorized, stuck up in severe traffic gridlock, in a hurry and literally ran to the examination centres. Some female examinees were seen in tears. Since they have learnt the lesson on the first day, most examinees, instead of going for last-minute revision of answers to questions, now start for examination centres very early. If it takes half an hour to cover the distance between the residence and the examination centre of an examinee under usual traffic situation, he or she now starts, at least, two hours early to ensure timely arrival at the examination centre. This is, however, everyday experience of the residents of Dhaka city who deserve appreciation for demonstrating extraordinary capacity to bear with odds of different kinds without protest. They have learnt to live with frequent load-shedding, disruption in gas supply to their cooking stoves and shortage of other civic amenities. Their unique tolerance level has, to be honest, encouraged the agencies concerned to be more indifferent to the problems encountered by the city dwellers. However, because of media attention, the government agencies concerned or the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC), from time to time, do try some superfluous or cosmetic solutions to city problems. Those who enforce such programmes are also aware of the net outcomes. Yet they deliberately do it just to divert attention of the people. In fact, the agencies concerned, after a brief period, are found to be uninterested even in enforcing their own programmes. The ministry of environment and forest, according to a media report, has recently come up with a ridiculous proposal to impose 'Emission Tax' on users of old and substandard automotives in the country. The ministry is now, reportedly, preparing a guideline on the introduction of the tax from the next financial year. The objective of the new tax is to help reduce air pollution and traffic congestion in Dhaka city. There is no denying that the level of air pollution on account of motor vehicles in Dhaka city has declined substantially following the withdrawal of two-stroke three wheelers and large-scale CNG conversion of automobiles. When the two-stroke auto-rickshaws used to rule the Dhaka, its air generally remained filled up with pungent-smelling white fumes. Many commuters and also traffic police used masks to avoid inhaling of toxic fumes. The situation now is of course better than before as far as air pollution of Dhaka city is concerned. If imposed, the first victim of emission tax will be the petrol-run vehicles belonging to the police department. Why is the environment ministry considering imposition of the tax when it is failing to enforce its own law that provides for imposing fines on the air-polluting motor vehicles? The department of environment is rarely found to enforce laws against pollutant vehicles. Besides, the observation that the proposed emission tax would help ease the traffic system because of the reduced import of motor vehicles is not at all tenable. The imposition of exorbitant duty on import of motor vehicles for private use or proposed emission tax to help cut the flow of cars on the streets in fact highlights the government's incapability of taking the bull by the horns. Owning car cannot be a crime, if one invests his or her honestly earned income for the purpose. The National Board of Revenue is there to see whether the owner of a car is a tax-compliant individual or not. By discouraging people from owning their own vehicles through various restrictive measures, the authorities in fact are trying to cover up their inability to solve the city's severe traffic problem. If the government could ensure an efficient, comfortable and fast mass transport system in Dhaka city, many people would not have used their own cars excepting for weekends and holidays. So, instead of trying some unrealistic programmes and projects, it should better concentrate on efforts for putting in place an efficient mass transport system for the Dhakites.