Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 13, 2009:
Plenty of diesel autos on the streets are not only making traffic congestion in Imphal city but also noise pollution even though it helps a lot in the providing jobs to the unemployed youths of the state.
An outnumber of diesel autos parking at portion on the stretch of the NH-39 section from Imphal municipality office to the M-sector office has been a problem as traffic congestion always occurring in the area.
Not only the diesel autos but other passenger taxi service vehicles are also parking here for picking up passenger.
Apart from traffic jam problem everyday at this portion, the area is becoming one of the noise polluted area as many complaint of causing ear ache on crossing the section of the highway.
The large number of diesel autos having extra laud sound apparently not suited with time is behind the noisy scene here.
It has been a talk of the city that the increasing diesel autos on the streets in Imphal city has added another woe to the sound pollution in the city which can draw the attention of the state authorities particularly to towards checking the number of this kind of vehicle (diesel auto).
According to the official of the state transport department, more than 1000 diesel autos are running on the streets in Imphal based on the record maintained in the department.
No exact number of diesel autos which have been given permission for running as passenger taxi could find out from the official.
Auto dealers and loan providers are also not willing to say out the exact number of diesel autos, they have sold or bought with loan provided by them with the reason best known to them only.But it is true that hundreds of unemployed youths are wooing by the vehicle which they can afford with loan providing agencies and banks as their unemployment problems could be solved by running taxi service with the diesel autos they get with loans amount.
An auto driver said, he can earn income at least to maintain his family with the auto he owned on loan.
Like him many are also earning livelihood with the auto-rickshaw.
More than 4000 auto are currently in service in the streets, according to his estimation.
On the other hand, with the diesel auto are causing noisy in the Imphal streets.
The stretch of the NH-39 on the western side of the Kangla fort separating the main Imphal city becoming the noisiest place as the area is also parking place for this auto apart from other taxi services, like the jeep taxi service and patrol-run autos.
The place is also a traffic jam point for the whole day everyday as this area is also use as passenger picking point and taxi operators try their best to get passenger even stranding in the middle of the road.
Authority has also no immediate plan to arrange proper parking place for the auto taxi.
Many drivers of apparently not having well experience in driving are also seen among them.With regard to the laud sound diesel autos in the streets, state pollution control board is also remaining silent.