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Pedalling for clean air

K Giriprakash

It will be a memorable Sunday in Bangalore. On April 21, some of India's top infotech and other corporate head honchos will pedal around on bicycles, promoting the poor man's vehicle as the vehicle for clean air. The initiative is AIR's, an anti-pollution group.

The heads of Philips Software, Maini Group, Sun Microsystems and several other infotech and corporate companies will join a group of around 50 'eco-navigators' to celebrate the Earth Day and promote a cleaner environment. Regrettably, Bangalore is fast losing its green image.

AIR's tagline says "breeze thru' life". It does not have very ambitious targets, however. "We want to make cycling a habit. Small journeys can be made on a cycle, and pedalling to work once a week if possible," says G Krishnamurthy, founder-member of AIR and an executive in a corporate communications firm. Police commissioner H T Sangliana will do the honours by flagging off the movement.

According to Krishnamurthy, there's been an overwhelming response from the top executives of Bangalore-based companies, including Infosys and Wipro. "Though we don't expect every one to turn up on Sunday, the response indicates that Bangaloreans strongly feel their city's pollution is unmanageable," Krishnamurthy says.

The pollution control department concurs. But Krishnamurthy exudes confidence that it can return to a healthy level if 200 vehicles are off the road every day. Bangalore has around 1.3 million vehicles.

To reduce the number of older vehicles, the local government in its latest budget slapped a green tax for crocks over 15 years old.

Levi's is contributing its mite by distributing T-shirts and caps to dress the occasion. Control P, a printing firm that has a tie-up with Canon, will print posters, flags and other materials for the eco-navigators. TI Cycles will provide bicycles though participants are expected to have their own.

The occasion brings cycling enthusiasts out of their closet. They just didn't have enough opportunities to pedal around. "I am a cycling fanatic. It's very good for health, very relaxing. I will surely encourage my employees if they choose to cycle down to office at least once a week, carefully though," says Philips Software centre chief executive officer Bob Hoekstra, one of the first to volunteer to participate in the movement. With wife.

Hoekstra, 57, said he would request the city police commissioner to have separate lanes for cyclists. "It is dangerous otherwise," says Hoekstra.

Hoekstra has a US-made Univega 24-gear bicycle on which he rides to the nearby Nandi Hills. "I encourage my employees to climb the stairs as part of our health programme."

Ramanujam Sridhar, chief executive officer of BrandComm, and a participant, goes with Hoekstra. He too expects separate lanes for bicyclists.

"In Chennai's Mount Road, the government has earmarked a lane for cyclists. I am sure the government here will do the same," says Sridhar who rides his cycle to visit a temple near his house. And for other household errands also.

"When we were kids, cycle was a simple means of moving about. Real fun it was. I am sure the move will help to decongest the mounting traffic," says Sridhar.

Pollution in Bangalore is alarming, says Sridhar. "It can go out of control if nothing is done." Sridhar however pins hope on people's movements in Bangalore.

Angel investor Ramesh Ramanathan's "Janaagraha for a better Bangalore" and Bangalore Agenda Task Force, a public-private initiative headed by Nandan Nilekani of Infosys, have drawn a huge response. And these models are being adopted in other cities.

The promoters of AIR expect a similar response and perhaps very soon Bangalore will become a cyclists' city.

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