Despite ban on registration of two-stroke rickshaw in the metropolis, the most smoke-emitting and noisy vehicle, no any environment friendly CNG-rickshaw, as proposed by government, could be seen plying on roads.
In April 2006 Sindh High Court had directed Sindh Government and CDGK to produce comprehensive report to reduce pollution and to remove all smoke emitting vehicles from road within 3-months, as has been done in Punjab. But even after a year these directives have not been implemented or enforced.
It is estimated that there are about 78,000 auto-rickshaws, buses and minibuses, taxis, vans and pickups in the metropolis roads and majority of them include two-stroke rickshaw.
Many environment laws were enacted and various campaigns have been launched by Environment Protection Agencies, traffic police department and NGOs against such vehicles to combat rising air and noise pollution but without any result. According to Economic Survey of Pakistan 2005-06 air pollution levels in Pakistani cities are highest in the world and still on rise.
The major contributor, experts state, for this rising air and noise pollution is two-stroke rickshaw majority of which are faulty and unchecked with obsolete silencer.
Rickshaw owners and drivers have expressed willingness of phasing out two-stroke rickshaws, replacing with four stroke vehicles using CNG for a pollution-free environment. However they complained they have never been considered to be given financial assistance from the government.
One of such driver told that noise and smoke-emission caused by his rickshaw also disturbed him. "But I am unable to replace this with an environment friendly CNG-rickshaw owing to financial restraints," he told and added if financial assistance was provided then he would definitely replace this faulty vehicle.
According to Journal of Pakistan Medical Association (JPMA), there is high tendency among rickshaw drivers to hearing loss and tinnitus that could be attributed to their trade. Use of silencers by rickshaw drivers could result in less hearing loss among rickshaw drivers and less noise in the environment for the other 11 million residents in the city, the research study conducted by Aga Khan University and published in JPMA suggested.
"City government is conducting a comprehensive research study in cooperation with SUPARCO to achieve optimal solution to make two-stroke rickshaw environment friendly", Additional District Officer, Transport & Communication Department told PPI.
He informed that City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal was working energetically to resolve this matter. He said Kamal had invited in this regard suggestions to convert two-stroke rickshaw on CNG without disturbing livelihood drivers of these vehicles.
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