‘Curb car use to drive away jam

Green campaigners on Thursday demanded a stop on use of private cars at least once a week to reduce traffic congestion and environmental pollution in the city. An increase in the use of private car is not only contributing to similar rise in traffic congestion but also resulting in misuse of energy, they said at a rally in front of National Museum. Save the Environment Movement (SEM) organised the rally to mark World Car-free Day.
The green activists later brought out a cycle rally that ended at Central Shaheed Minar.
Maruf Rahman, national advocacy officer of WBB Trust, said, “Cars carry only 5 per cent of people commuting in the city every day, while most people use public buses, rickshaws and cycles. A large part of the city’s population also moves on foot but no initiative is seen to facilitate their movement.

“But the government is always seen to encourage import and use of private cars and taxi cabs.”
Excessive use of cars play an instrumental role in the increase of traffic congestion and their movement should be curbed to ease jams, Maruf said. He also stressed the need to create a congenial atmosphere for cycling within the city. “Cycle is an energy-free and environment-friendly vehicle,” Rahman said.

Chairman of SEM Abu Naser Khan said the use of private cars should be stopped at least once a week to maintain a clean atmosphere and save energy. “This rule is in place in cities such as Jakarta (Indonesia) and Bogotá (Colombia). The energy crisis is a great cause of concern, as we spend a huge money to import energy.”

Instead of increasing price of fuel, Khan asked the government to fix a different rate of fuel for those using their own vehicles. He also suggested for improving the mass transport system instead of constructing car-friendly infrastructure


‘Curb car use to drive away jam