Every time the country faces a crisis, the blame goes to the government in power. Whether the topic is traffic violations or rising pollution, the first reaction goes towards questioning the ruling party. Do we, as citizens, ever take the blame for these hazards?
A simple answer is no.
Whenever the air becomes unbreathable, we blame the authorities; if there is a rise in accidents, we find fault in the enforcement of rules; the instances are too many, and the conclusion comes down to only one thing: shifting the blame towards the government alone.
However, as uncomfortable as it may feel, the truth remains unchanged. A majority of these problems stem from everyday choices made by us as citizens, the ones we pretend we don’t hold accountability for.
The Rise Of Crisis
Every year, especially around winter, as Delhi drowns in dense grey, polluted air that makes it difficult to breathe, protests around the issue start to take place. Or, when Bengaluru or Mumbai sees a heavy traffic congestion, we witness jokes, tweets, and growing frustration across the country about how flawed the country’s urban planning is.
However, data show a different story. A huge portion of the blame we impose on the centre is actually ours to bear. It is the citizens of the country who are equally responsible for the faltering systems we so religiously complain about.
According to the Economic Survey Delhi 2023-24, almost 79 lakh vehicles, along with 6.5 lakh new vehicles, were registered in the year 2023-2024. This shows a growing trend in the possession of personal vehicles by the general public, leading to increased use and, gradually, more pollution.
On top of that, about 1.1 million vehicles made their entries and exits in the city every day. These vehicles, growing at a rate of a whopping 15% contributed almost 81% of nitrogen oxide emissions into the environment.
These emissions aren’t just from government vehicles, but from cars and other modes of transport owned and used by the common people.
Read More: How Delhi Plans To Fight Air Pollution This Winter And Festive Season
Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), explained that urban transportation was the largest contributor of pollution in the capital.
“The emission inventory studies for Delhi done by IIT Kanpur in 2015, TERI-ARAI in 2018, and Safar, also in 2018, have determined the transport sector’s contribution to PM2.5 to be, respectively, 20%, 39% and 41%. Among combustion sources, it is the highest source, and annually, it is the second biggest source behind dust,” said Anumita, regarding the rising pollution in the city.
This leaves huge, dirty footprints in the environment, increasing the risk of diseases such as asthma, along with other heart and lung diseases.
While poor planning by the government does play a role in the increasing pollution, the citizens play a huge part in shaping the crisis, too. The story isn’t different in the case of traffic violations, either.
According to the ‘Road Accidents in India 2023’ report of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), most of the road accidents and fatalities in India (2023) took place due to overspeeding.
The report further highlighted that there were 1,72,890 deaths with a total of 4,80,583 road accidents. The road accidents reportedly increased 4.18% year over year alongside a 2.61% year-over-year leap in fatalities in 2023.
Furthermore, with the count of 3,28,727, 68.4% of road accidents, and out of the 1,17,682 fatalities reported, 68.07% of them were caused by overspeeding. Additionally, drunken driving, driving on the wrong side of the road, reckless driving, jumping the traffic signals, and other traffic violations were the common reasons for road accidents.
These numbers throw light on how crises go beyond traffic and pollution regulations set up by the government. These show how the everyday choices of the common man play an equal role in giving birth to the problems and threats that a city or country faces.
Rapid urbanisation, a growing population, and people stepping down from their individual responsibilities are the reasons a country starts to fall prey to pollution and other issues.
Our Responsibilities As Citizens
As citizens, we need to take accountability for our own actions and not shift the blame solely towards the centre. Whether it is the problem of pollution or something as grave as growing road accidents, we play an equal duty towards improving the persisting conditions.
In a 2023 interview, Minister Nitin Gadkari (Road Transport and Highways of India) emphasised that the responsibility of reducing road accidents in India also falls on the common people. He said, “Human behavioural change regarding road safety is an important aspect.
We have roped in film actors from Bombay and cricketers for raising awareness about road safety and they are actively supporting the cause.”
A country cannot progress if its government and the people stand against each other, not taking up their individual responsibilities. No matter how many laws or bans are imposed, these issues cannot be dealt with if we don’t take charge as citizens. Whether it is traffic violations or pollution, a single step by each citizen can result in a big change.
Even a small change in habit could avoid a major crisis in the future. As citizens, we shouldn’t just ask if the government is doing its job, but also ponder if we are fulfilling our individual duties towards the country.
Even though it might feel insignificant, small measures could actually save the country from any impending threat. Here’s what we can do as citizens:
- Wearing helmets and following traffic signals all the time.
- Avoiding overspeeding at all costs.
- Trying to avoid using personal vehicles as much as possible and opting for public modes of transportation to reduce emissions.
- Avoiding burning waste and disposing of it wisely.
- Abiding by the rules set by the government and not treating them as formalities.
- Educating ourselves and others because awareness is the ultimate approach to these issues.
Before pointing fingers at each other, we need to pause and look back at our own actions. The role of the government in a country’s prosperity, surely, is undeniable, but so is ours. Taking accountability for our own actions and calling out what’s wrong will help our country prosper.
Ultimately, it is our country we’re talking about, and change isn’t just a project of the government but a combined effort because the country we so religiously complain about is the one we need to religiously take care of.
Images: Google Images
Sources: The Times of India, The Indian Express, Business Standard
Find the blogger: @shubhangichoudhary_29
This post is tagged under: citizen responsibility, government accountability, pollution in India, Delhi air pollution, traffic violations India, road safety India, urbanisation crisis, public awareness, environmental responsibility, civic sense in India, Indian governance, sustainable living India, Nitin Gadkari road safety, transport emissions Delhi, PM2.5 pollution India, overspeeding accidents India, Indian cities infrastructure, public vs government debate, climate crisis India, urban transport pollution
Disclaimer: We do not hold any right or copyright over any of the images used; these have been taken from Google. In case of credits or removal, the owner may kindly email us.
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