CHENNAI : An increased use of public transport is essential to reduce traffic congestion and pollution in the city, according to Police Commissioner Letika Saran.

She was addressing a meeting on global warming organised here on Saturday by the Tamil Nadu Chapter of the Institute of Town Planners (ITP).

The city has more than 28 lakh vehicles and witnesses a reducing dependence on public transport, Ms. Saran said. Since the usage of the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) was not optimal, the companies located near the MRTS route could provide pick-up facilities from the nearest station to encourage their employees to use the service.

As for the Police Department, she said police stations had been asked to plant saplings as part of the 150th anniversary of the Chennai Police. Income-generating and environment-friendly solid waste management practices were being followed in police quarters in Pudupet, Triplicane, Kondithope and Kotturpuram and would soon be replicated in other areas as well, she said.

Inaugurating the programme, Minister for Information and chairman of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority Parithi Ilamvazhuthi underlined the significance of greenery.

Trees were essential to human life, he said, adding that fauna like the common sparrow, which could earlier be seen in most cities, was becoming hard to find. ITP TN Chapter chairman Subash Chandra said unscientific dumping of municipal waste or use of street-lighting contributed to unhealthy greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

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