Craze for eco-friendly transport catches up with MLAs & youth
Students and legislators, especially those of the ruling party, have mostly been at loggerheads in Assam. But on one issue — eco-friendly transport — the two sides seem to have arrived at an agreement. Given the ecological disaster that the world seems headed for, both students and legislators have decided to use eco-friendly transport, thereby setting an example for others to follow. Some Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of Assam, students and faculty members of Gauhati University have taken the initiative. Their effort is to use bicycles rather than cars and bikes for short distances.
“I used to ride a bicycle,” says Akan Bora, Congress MLA, who recently flagged off a rally organised by the Assam Bicycle Health Club. “I will try to convince the state government to build separate lanes for cyclists in the city,” says Bora, who uses car for travelling long distance. The health club, meanwhile, has pulled out all stops to help people get back to such basics. “We launched our club in December 2009 and since then have organised four rallies,” says club convenor Ujjal Bezbora. The club, which has 10 convenors, started out by contributing Rs 10,000 each for the cause. “We used the money to buy 100 bicycles,” says Bezbora. A television channel editor, the owner of a nursing home, and one of Guwahati’s main cable distributors are members of the club. “Apart from cycling having major health benefits, let’s not forget the pain that Guwahati’s vehicles give, creating traffic snarls and congestion all the time,” says Bezbora.
At the university, meanwhile, both staff and students are out to use the good old bicycle all over again. Led by their teachers, everyone in the university has decided to use bicycles this month onwards. Says HP Sarma, professor of the department of Environmental Studies: “It’s either bicycles or acid rain and besides that the auto-chemical smog is becoming a distinct possibility.” University registrar Uttam Chandra Das told the media: “With global warming becoming a reality it is time to take a new look at the environmental impact of vehicles that use fossil fuels.” An increasing number of students have already started coming to the campus on bicycles, Das added. What a way to go green.
Students and legislators, especially those of the ruling party, have mostly been at loggerheads in Assam. But on one issue — eco-friendly transport — the two sides seem to have arrived at an agreement. Given the ecological disaster that the world seems headed for, both students and legislators have decided to use eco-friendly transport, thereby setting an example for others to follow. Some Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of Assam, students and faculty members of Gauhati University have taken the initiative. Their effort is to use bicycles rather than cars and bikes for short distances.
“I used to ride a bicycle,” says Akan Bora, Congress MLA, who recently flagged off a rally organised by the Assam Bicycle Health Club. “I will try to convince the state government to build separate lanes for cyclists in the city,” says Bora, who uses car for travelling long distance. The health club, meanwhile, has pulled out all stops to help people get back to such basics. “We launched our club in December 2009 and since then have organised four rallies,” says club convenor Ujjal Bezbora. The club, which has 10 convenors, started out by contributing Rs 10,000 each for the cause. “We used the money to buy 100 bicycles,” says Bezbora. A television channel editor, the owner of a nursing home, and one of Guwahati’s main cable distributors are members of the club. “Apart from cycling having major health benefits, let’s not forget the pain that Guwahati’s vehicles give, creating traffic snarls and congestion all the time,” says Bezbora.
At the university, meanwhile, both staff and students are out to use the good old bicycle all over again. Led by their teachers, everyone in the university has decided to use bicycles this month onwards. Says HP Sarma, professor of the department of Environmental Studies: “It’s either bicycles or acid rain and besides that the auto-chemical smog is becoming a distinct possibility.” University registrar Uttam Chandra Das told the media: “With global warming becoming a reality it is time to take a new look at the environmental impact of vehicles that use fossil fuels.” An increasing number of students have already started coming to the campus on bicycles, Das added. What a way to go green.
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