THE air we have been breathing in the metropolis has improved slightly. This is put down to disappearance of two-stroke three-wheelers. The ban on polybags has played a contributory role. Even though degradation of environment through land grabbing leading to tree-felling and constriction of river flows starkly continues, one can't overlook the intermittent attempts at improving air quality. The latest news to fall in this category of initiatives relates to a training programme for mechanics in the automobile workshops. Experts, local and foreign, will impart training to workshop people so that they are able to identify and correct emission problems. There are two limitations here: first, only government-enlisted workshops will be covered. Obviously for good reasons, but the high number of outfits not listed with the government will remain outside the pale. So, the emphasis must be laid on bringing all workshops under some registration discipline. Secondly, the workshops do not themselves have the equipment needed to train their mechanics in identifying the factors that cause emissions. Of course, under the Urban Transport Project training programme, gas analysers, smoke meters and engine tuners will be used as tools. But so long as the workshops themselves do not have the equipment base how can the knowledge dissemination process be sustained? Let's make sure they have it.

Two complementary steps must be taken for a turnaround in the pollution scene. First of all, there should be a no nonsense checking of vehicles for smoke emission in the street on a regular basis with punishment given to the culprits. Very importantly, the polluting transports of the state sector need to be phased out to set the right tenor for the private sector polluters.