Pune: Parisar, a civil society organisation working in the field of public transport, has given a suggestion to the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) to provide better facility to passengers. The suggestion was sent on May 23.

The letter sent to Chairman and Managing Director Nayana Gunde welcomed the move about PMPML’s willingness to improve public transport in the city. 

“You have also pointed out that you are awaiting purchase of some new buses for the fleet, and that you would wait for these buses before there can be any improvement in service,” stated in the letter.

NGO Parisar has launched online campaign demanding a 25 per cent increase in PMPML ridership by 2020, for cleaner air and decongested roads in Pune. The NGO had written on May 18 to Nayana Gunde, MD of PMPML.

“You would have observed ridership over the last three years has stagnated and even dipped, while private vehicles continue to flood the roads. This is despite new buses being added to the fleet, which goes to show that mere addition of new buses will not lead to an increase in ridership or better service,” said in a letter of suggestion.

In an online campaign, they raised the issue that the main hazardous pollutants of fossil fuels-based vehicular emissions are particulate matter (PM), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide(NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and greenhouse gases.
 
Out of these, the fine and ultrafine PM is able to penetrate the cells of most organs and cause severe respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological illnesses and even premature death, especially in children and the elderly.