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Yet Another Pollution-Based Car Ban

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Pollution has become an even more pressing issue lately as unusual weather patterns have formed clouds of pollution that are normally dispersed by wind or rain, leading major cities such as Beijing, Rome, and Milan to partially ban cars from the city streets. Now, it seems that the world’s most polluted capital city (no, it actually isn’t Beijing) will be joining the smog-choked ranks of cities to limit traffic.

Starting on January 1st, authorities in the Indian city of Delhi have banned private cars on alternating days (based on license plate numbers), a system which will run for a trial period of two weeks, as part of a number of efforts to reduce pollution. This follows a court order for the city to deal with pollution levels over 10 times the World Health Organization’s safe limit.

Unfortunately, like the car bans in Italy, critics say that this plan will have large problem in a city where traffic law is already routinely ignored by motorists. Many believe that, to get around the rules, Delhi motorists will simply make fake license plates or buy second cars.

The government, in response, will attempt to make motorists realize it is in their best interest to follow these laws, and will be providing some 3,000 private buses (including school buses, since schools have been ordered closed for the duration of the trial) to transport people from residential areas. Police will also impose heavy fines on any driver caught ignoring these rules.

News Source: Yahoo News