Climate Change abatement

"Reconfiguring the urban Infrastructure Investment pattern to improve the quality of life of all stake holders by planned reduction of urban density of population" .
R. Dhanasekar, MIE (M101608)

SSM ITT & Polytechnic College
B. Komarapalayam 638 183, Namakkal District
Tamilnadu State
E - mail id: rdsce@rediffmail.com

ABSTRACT

Reduction of urban density of population by planned decentralization, reverse migration, dispersal of economically robust population segments, not the poorest and marginalized, to thinly populated regions should be the starting point of sustainable urban infrastructure development initiative in developing countries.
It is high time to place a strict moratorium on urban new investments on newer capacity additions, with in the congested regions.
Due importance to UNIVERSAL SANITATION (perennial source of bio-fuel, bio-fertilizer, and golden threshold to the dignity of our masses and water borne disease free world), ENCOURAGEMENT OF RENEWABLE SOURCES OF ENERGY (human power, animal power included), PENALTY FOR PRIVATE FOSSIL FUEL BASED PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION COUPLED WITH active, all participative and affordable railway and waterway based public transportation will make our investment in our urban infrastructure really productive.
Road sector should complement, not compete with the energy efficient railways and waterways.
The UNEP, UNDP & WHO should spearhead this movement with national authorities.

Lopsided Policies and Public Perceptions

1. Urban Infrastructure and Utilities Investment
(Is the present trend is sustainable?)
Metro railways, six lane and even ten lane express ways, flyovers, elevated tracks and mega mega drinking and sewage water projects are planned and executed for billions of dollars of money, both in foreign exchange and local currency in every metro and non-metro towns.
Further, even the small towns are catching the diseases of urbanization. They too have their own grandiose schemes of over bridges and high rise buildings in the smallest expansion of the towns.


All these investments are benefiting builders, promoters, contractors and middlemen. Instead, construction of bye-pass roads / ring roads and shifting of whole or part of whole sale markets will serve better with minimal investments. In case of railway lines also this philosophy will hold good.
It is high time to place a strict moratorium on urban new investments on newer capacity additions.
Alternatively, let us re-channelise all our energies, efforts and investments towards rural regions.
Planned reduction of present crushing, suffocating, and cantankerous urban density of population will lead to improvement of quality of life for both urban dwellers and the rural folks also, by transfer of jobs from (expensive, in every sense of this word) urban locations to rural regions.
Of late, for example, we are very often hearing about maddening crowds of people and serpentine lengths of cars and other vehicles on
Bangalore - Hosur highway. The influential IT industry captains are demanding multilane elevated express ways under the guise of development of city. For to be sustainable, the IT industry should relocate at least a part of their work force to tier II and tier III cities which will reduce the crowds in Bangalore and improve the viability and vibrancy of hither to neglected smaller towns.
Last but not the least, the spreading out of resources from congested urban locations to far flung rural regions will reduce, God forbid, the impact of terrorist attacks and unpredictable natural disasters. As an added bonus relief, rescue and rehabilitation missions, if warranted, can be mounted and sustained in a far more efficient, effective and economic manner.

2. Decentralization

To achieve the planned diversion of urban investments and economic activities to less populated rural regions, we should actively shift the jobs (well paying, powerful jobs, not the run-off the mill routine low paying jobs) from congested urban locations to thinly populated rural locations. For example, presently the High Court at Chennai has 42 judges with a circuit bench at Madurai with 7 judges. Why should not we have two more benches, one near PUDUCHERRY and the other near SALEM, so that the litigating public and their lawyers & the supporting staff need not visit Chennai. Likewise, every Government / Private / Non Government / MNC / Business / Education / Charity Organization should reduce the visitor/user population from far flung areas by decentralization / delegation / bifurcation / trifurcation etc..

3. Habitations


Every built area should have ample open space. If it is to be achieved, the tax incentives must be sufficiently high. Here, we must use the proverbial a carrot and stick approach. This open space will make recycling and re-using of the natural resources a cost effective option.
It may look crazy but still it will make better economic and ecological sense, if we promote urban animal husbandry and agriculture / horticulture, using the urban organic waste as fertilizer and irrigation water source. Sustainable architecture of buildings (maximum use of sunlight, domestic waster water utilization, kitchen gardens and natural ventilation) should be mandatory for all buildings worth more than say, Rupees one crore or 35 feet high or 10,000 sq.feet area.
Clear-cut, specified, targeted and unambiguous policy support will promote sustainable development initiatives. Suitable disincentives for urban congestive concentrations and enough incentives for reverse migration (urban to rural) will ensure sustainable development with minimum cost and maximum benefit to all the stake holders. Also it will reduce the narrow strangling of otherwise our civilized rural folks by the cruel chains of caste, creed, race, religion and sometimes language too. The present policy of relocating the urban slums in the extreme periphery of urban conglomerations will not succeed because, the marginalized slum people can never commute from the far off distances to their life sustaining jobs.


4. Move away from city centers


Big cities have at their centers training establishments, higher education institutions, research and development organizations, prisons and administrative offices for the entire district / state / country. They are all hard pressed for space for expansion. They are strangling themselves for want of space and straining the neighbourhood also. In most of the cases, they can be conveniently relocated away from the city without any government budget support by selling their pricey real estate.

5. Transportation

Waterways & railways are the least per capita energy consuming networks for transport; cars & two wheelers are the least efficient and the most polluting. Sadly we discourage the efficient and encourage the inefficient. 7000 kilometers of shore lines are blessed to us by nature. Are we using it efficiently? We should have at least 30 major harbours, 150 medium harbours and 500 mini harbours. For example, a new green field deep water mega harbour at Kolachel in Kanyakumari District will generate employment, in that employment starved region and at the same time will reduce the pressure on Chennai, Kochi and Tuticorin harbours.

Likewise, medium size harbours at Pondicherry, Karaikal, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Mandapam, etc. will make sea-shore based goods and human transportation practical one.
All the pending and proposed railway lines, if completed, will enormously help us in reducing energy consumption and accidents too. Railway development can happen only, if only if we permit and encourage investments and initiatives of every nature (Private, Public, Co-Operatives, Joint ventures - Local and foreign). Please look at the rapid and enormous developments happened in the telecom and road sector.
Supremacy of the railway transportation should be a national objective and obsession instead of the present road based initiatives. In fact, the road transportation should supplement and complement, not substitute, compete or dominate the railways and waterways systems. A minimum required number of passenger / goods-trains and ships / boats should have roll-on, roll-off facility for Lorries, buses and cars. Even two-wheelers and bi-cycles may be permitted in select passenger trains. This will reduce our total fuel consumption and will make a significant dent in the number of accidents happening in our highways.

6. Sanitation as a Source of Bio-Fuel & Fertilizer:

This country of BILLION plus population has about 2.25 million registered, accounted and organized places of worships from high tech multi crore to penniless rural establishments (according to 2001 census). The unregistered, unrecognized places of worships will be at least four times than that of the stated 2.25 million. All this places of spiritual cleanliness and enlightenment are designed, founded, funded, and maintained by our public participation only, of course with varying degrees of government control, guidance and regulations.
Unfortunately in our vast nation of 5000 years of recorded history of civilization, we do not have sufficient number of sanitation complexes (toilets, bathing houses, urinals and washing rooms). While we stress upon the spiritual cleanliness with our commitment of money and time, we are NOT even committing our attention, leave alone resources towards this daily necessity of sanitation. Right to information, Right to worship, Right to speech, Right to education etc. etc. are all ok. What about Right to sanitation every day for every one, especially women? Instead of attempting for the United Nations Security Council permanent seat position and U.N. Secretary General position, Let us go for UNIVERSAL SANITATION for all of us in an available and affordable format at least by 2020. They are the perennial sources for our Bio gas needs, fertilizer and water borne disease free world of happiness. We may even solicit the support of UNEP, UNDP & WHO FOR THIS STUPENDOUS TASK

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7. Build away from the Beach


Whether we like it or not, climate change is true and it is happening fast. Let us safe guard our assets by building away from the sea shores. Naturally harbours must be located right on the sea shore by virtue of their nature. But airports, railway terminals and other constructions need not be located adjacent to sea.
Let us use the sea shores for what they are most suitable. Seashore based industries, rest and recreation facilities, temporary accommodations and above all green bells with plants on shore and off shore too. It is the only way to protect our assets from the vagaries of sea and save our life and properties.



8. Small is beautiful

It may look moving towards 18th century. But it promises a clean and green future for our children and grand children. Wind Mills, Water Mills, Small Hydro Power stations, Bio Gas Plants, Animal and Human powered transportations (Bicycles, Tricycles, Cycle Rickshaws, Pedi cabs, Bullock/ Buffalo/Donkey/ Camel Carts, Horse / Mule Buggies etc.) will ensure a healthy nation and healthier people. These environment friendly energy sources must be promoted with RESERVED, EXCLUSIVE space, every tax break possible, subsidies and concessions. At the same time, we must tax the fossil fuel consumers appropriately.

To succeed, we need commitment from the top people among the executive, judiciary, legislature and all segments of civil society including media, religious organizations and voluntary movements. Given the notable achievements in health care and environment protection, a co-ordinated mission by the national authorities along with the UNDP, UNEP & WHO will achieve the desired results.

The author acknowledges gratefully the inspiring writings of the following thinkers, doers and achievers.
1. Prof. P.V. Indiresan, Former Director, IIT, Chennai
2. Prof. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, His Excellency the President of India
3. Mrs. Rohini Nilekeni, Chairperson, Arghyam Trust, Bangalore (Wife of
Mr. Nandhan Nilekeni, Infosys, Bangalore)
4. Mrs. Meena Swaminathan, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation,
Chennai