Even as Kolkata registers the least amount of carbon footprint due to vehicles among metro cities, emission levels are likely to increase three times by 2030 as the number of vehicular registration has skyrocketed in the past five years.
Report by CSE
According to a report published by the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Kolkata, is likely to witness high levels of air pollution due to transport-related emissions. The report titled ‘Kolkata: A smoggy future beckons?’ was published here on Friday.
As per the latest data released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, while Kolkata recorded the lowest amount of particulate matter (hazardous particles suspended in air) at 1.23 tonnes per day, Delhi topped the chart with 5.02 tonnes per day.
“Of all the major metro cities of India, Kolkata’s transport sector has the smallest pollution and carbon footprint. But the city is at serious risk of losing this advantage as it is now encouraging car-centric planning and infrastructure,” the report states.
Public transport
It points out that Kolkata occupies the first slot in the country in terms of using public transport and walking with “89% of the population” using these modes of transport.
It further states that the usually low usage of personal vehicles in Kolkata has recently increased at a rapid pace. While earlier the number of private cars for every 1,000 residents in Kolkata used to be 35 but from 2012 it started increasing. “In fact, Between 2007 and 2013, two-wheelers have increased by 28% and cars by 25%. In 2012-13, two-wheelers increased by 168% and cars by 120%, . This is a higher growth rate than several other cities,” the report states.
Researchers are apprehensive that Kolkata may loose this advantage of low vehicular pollution over other metro cities if the number of personal vehicles keeps increasing. “In 2010-12, vehicle registration was in the range of 8-11%; after 2012, this has shot up to 158%,” the report states.
They argue that even though the quantity of air pollution due to the transport sector is low in the city at present, with the increasing number of personal vehicles carbon emission would increase sharply. Researchers point out that private car users in the city cause 6.5 times more carbon emission than a bus user. As for a two-wheeler user, the emission is 10.60 time higher than one who uses bus as a mode of transport.
