As many cities have been struggling to cope with the dramatic surge in air pollution levels in the last few decades, India falls among the top ten polluted countries across the globe. Delhi, in particular, has achieved the ‘demerit' of being the top polluted capital city of the world for many times since 2018. Given these alarming statistics, it becomes imperative for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to remain abreast of developments on this issue and take all possible measures to contain pollution as far as practicable.
In this tourist hub of the country, the transport sector often forces contaminants to mix with air particles leading to higher pollution levels especially in the cases of Jammu, Srinagar and other big cities as the same have earned notoriety after traces of heavy carbon footprint were found on many occasions.
It is however laudable that the UT Government has recognized the urgency of addressing this issue and is making commendable strides in the adoption of measures to combat the air pollution with introduction of electric buses as an out of the box initiative to create a more sustainable and eco-friendly transportation system. This initiative is not only a significant step towards a greener future but also a testament to UT administration's commitment towards reducing air pollution and improving the overall quality of life for its residents. Such steps act as guarantee to the healthy future of people, and sustenance of tourism, which is the lifeline of this region because with pollution levels crossing the marks of Delhi and other cities, it would become near impossible to woo tourists.
Today, blue skies, healthy air quality emanating from serene forests, and crystal clear water bodies are the first choice of visitors to cherish J&K but if these entities were not conserved than finding nature lovers would become a difficult task therefore people of the region should take all the precautions to maintain the virginity and serenity of the nature endlessly as this is necessary for their longevity and that of the tourism sector, which is one of the mainstays of the economy of the Union Territory.
The e-buses curb the adverse environmental effects of traditional vehicles because these produce zero tailpipe emissions, significantly reducing air pollution. Such measures by the government no doubt need full public support. It has been seen that recently the private bus operators have resented the introduction of the new generation e-buses as they alleged that it has affected their business considerably. Besides, instances have been reported from Jammu region where staff of the e-buses were intimidated on various counts thus making it difficult for the employees of the government to run these buses fearlessly.
It is unacceptable that different segments of society oppose this good initiative by the government which not only reduces air pollution considerably but also provides state of art edifice to commuters for having perfect experience of commuting.
