This past Friday, you could hear cycle bells in place of sirens as the judiciary in Lucknow made a statement about being good to the environment and not wasting fuel. Some 70 or so judges put in a ride to court to put a face on the issue of our ever-increasing thirst for petrol and diesel and to stand for more sensible, shared means of getting around. District and Sessions Judge Malkhan Singh was the one who put them in motion.
Why the bench chose pedals over petrol
It is no coincidence that this comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his case for saving fuel. The senior judges see it as a way to serve the country. For Judge Malkhan Singh, it is a matter of national interest, given the kind of concern there is these days over pollution and how much we are using up.
Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan of the Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow bench would have it no other way. He has said every one of us will be on a cycle to get to court at least once a week. ‘The nation’s interest is paramount, and that makes it a must,’ he says.
The commitments going forward
There is more to it than a photo op. The officers have put together a plan to make low-emission travel part of the routine in the justice system and to put a dent in fuel use.
They are being very specific about it:
– We will be in shared vehicles on any given working day
– Every Saturday is for the e-rickshaw or the bicycle
– If an officer can’t make it on a bike, an e-rickshaw is the option
– At minimum, a day a week on a cycle
Judge Malkhan Singh left no room for doubt. ‘Today we are going by bicycle. Any of us who can’t will take an e-rickshaw. And we are on record for using shared transport during the week and an e-rickshaw or bike on Saturdays to get to the court,’ he put it.
How the ride unfolded on Friday
It all started from Judge Malkhan Singh’s home in Dalibagh at 9 in the morning. Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan was there to set the group in motion, showing the full backing of the High Court. You couldn’t miss the line of black coats on their way through town.
On the way, the judges were having a word with people on the side of the road about the need to be kind to the environment and not be profligate with fuel. A number of lawyers came along for it, some on their own bikes or in e-rickshaws. Even those who didn’t cycle made sure to forgo a private car and take an e-rickshaw, in keeping with the spirit of the day.
What this signals for public life
You could say it is as much about changing old habits as it is about making news. The idea is that if a court can trim its fuel bill with some common sense, then any institution with a public face can. Seeing a judge on a cycle does a lot to change the way we think about official business.
Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan sees it as a good thing, and one we can’t put off. In a city like this with all the traffic and fumes, even a weekly switch to something electric or shared can make a difference. The plan is to make that happen and for others to do the same.
It is a matter of some urgency. With the way consumption of petrol and diesel is going, and for the sake of the environment, officials feel it is time to act. What you saw on Friday was the opening of a schedule they intend to stick to, not just a moment for show.
What comes next
Now we will see if they can keep it up. The talking is done; the cycling, the e-rickshaws on Saturday and the sharing of cars on weekdays will be put to the test. Public bodies have a way of dictating the mood in a city, and this is a nudge for the rest of us to have a look at our own habits.
For the legal fraternity in Lucknow, the path to the courthouse is now a bit of a reminder that conservation is something you do, not just a policy on paper. The benches have made their move. But as they would have you believe, it is what follows that will count.
