Centre for Science and Environment resorted to a novel form of protest -- 'Jam Their Phone Lines’, -- to express deep concern at the politically motivated move of the Delhi government to withdraw its decision to ban 15 year old vehicles in Delhi to control air pollution just 11 days before the elections.

CSE had drawn the attention of the chief election commissioner M S Gill to the fact that the Delhi government was compromising the health of Capital’s citizen by withdrawing the ban on old commercial vehicles to appease the transport union to retain their votes. But the chief election commissioner dismissed the issue as trivial. Angered by this callous attitude CSE mobilised doctors and citizens suffering from respiratory ailments to sign statements of concern.

About 2,00,000 doctors of Indian medical Association and Delhi medical Association protested to the chief election commissioner saying "Public health is not 'trivial'"

And hundreds of citizens suffering from respiratory illnesses told chief minister Sahib Singh Verma, "Their health was not available to him for trading with votes"

CSE has created this fuss to urge upon the government to find more appropriate solution to facilitate the phasing out of old and polluting vehicles in the city, and implement them so as not to reduce the governance of this city to a farce. The government should not take the easy way out just by withdrawing the ban.

To The Chief Election Commissioner of India, M S Gill

Mr. Election Commissioner,

On February 10, 1998, you recieved a call from the Centre for Science and Environment asking you to take action against the ruling party in Delhi for withdrawing a ban on polluting vehicles as a political move. You responded, sir, by saying that you had no time for such "trivial matters". Does the health of Delhi's 10 million citizens seem "trivial" to you?

We would like to inform that in this country, more than 52,000 people die prematurely every year because of air pollution. In Delhi alone, 60 lakh people are afflicted by pollution-related diseases, and 10,000 people die prematurely because we breathe the polluted air that is the creation of the dirty politics that your Commission chooses to ignore.

Does this matter seem trivial to you?

Mr. Commissioner, the government of Delhi is giving in to the demands of the tranport unions for their own short-term gains. They have taken the easy way out, by not even attempting to look for a solution which addresses the problem of the tranport unions as well as our health and well-being.

How can you allow a hasty decision such as this one, so obviously motivated by political ambition, be taken 11 days before the election? Is this not in violation of your very own Model Code of Conduct, which states that "The party in power, whether at the Centre or in the state or states concerned, shall ensure that no cause is given for any compliant that it has used its official position for the purposes of its election campaign" ?

We strongly urge you to take action today , the last day of campaigning.

Signed by:

Concerned Doctors of the Indian Medical Association and Delhi Medical Association

To The Chief Minister of Delhi

Mr. Chief Minister,

In case it has escaped your notice, we would like to inform that in the city you govern, 10,000 people die prematurely every year because of air pollution. We, who have signed this statement, are among the 60 lakh people in this city who suffer from respiratory illnesses because we breathe the polluted air that is the creation of the dirty politics that your party plays. Do you know that while you may have lifted the ban on polluting commercial vehicles to pacify 20 lakh people and to get their votes, you have at the same time signed our death warrant?

Mr. Minister, you cannot take air pollution lightly. If your government does not have the strength to stand up to the pressure tactics being applied by the transport Unions, or to come up with solutions to ensure that their livelihood needs are looked into while our health is kept in mind, then, sir, we assure you that you and your party have lost our vote in future.

In case you think that replacing the old vehicles on Delhi's streets is an expensive proposition, then consider the following economics : the cost of treating the people who suffer from respiratory illnesses, and due to premature pollution-related deaths in Delhi alone is 866 crore rupees annually. This is a 1995 figure calculated by the Centre for Science and Environment. It is bound to be higher this year. Does this alter your view of the situation?

If your government is willing to apply their minds to the problem, a more satisfactory solution, rather than just withdrawing the ban, can and should be found to the transport unions' demands. Instead, you have simply taken the easy way out. Is this why we pay your bureaucrats fat salaries through our taxes? Let them justify their existence by finding a solution. If they can't, then tell them to involve the civil society in this city in finding a solution.

Mr. Minister, is your government weighing our health with 20 lakh votes and finding the votes more important?

Signed

Citizens of Delhi suffering from respiratory illnesses