Pune candidate wants pollution-free city

PUNE: Anand Vanjape (43) of Kothrud is on a mission. Contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Pune as an independent, he aims at making the city pollution-free.

As a part of his campaign, Vanjape has been riding his bicycle across the city to spread awareness about cycling and promote it as a part of healthy lifestyle. Vanjape’s election symbol is a kettle.

He said the city’s air was polluted enough to be lethal, instead of just toxic. “In next five to six years, we will see people dying on roads due to lack of oxygen. The future generations will be affected and we will have a generation of children with disabilities,” he said.

Citing the Cape Town’s water crises, Vanjape said the day taps run dry in Pune is not too far. “The air pollution crisis is not something that can be resolved at the local or even the state level. There is a need for a national policy to combat it. I am contesting the elections as I want to leverage the government machinery and bring change,” he said, adding that none of the political parties had made tackling pollution or ensuring good health their priority.

Vanjape, who has been riding the bicycle to work for the past eight years, said, “I urge people to use a bicycle to commute only two days a week. We can become the city of bicycles once again,” he said.