New Delhi, Oct 26: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi Government may bring back the much debatable odd-even vehicle rationing scheme to curb air pollution in the capital city.
Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot has asked his department officials to be “fully geared up” in case odd-even scheme is implemented.
“With the increase in pollution levels in Delhi, the government may have to resort to emergency measures, including the odd-even scheme,” Gahlot said in his letter to Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and other senior officials of his department.
What is Odd-Even Scheme
The odd-even rule is aimed at restrict the number of vehicles on Delhi roads to cut down emission of harmful gases.
The scheme, based on the last digit of the vehicle’s registration number of vehicles, was implemented twice in 2016 – from January 1-15 and April 15-30. Under the scheme, odd and even numbered vehicles ply on alternate days.
Last week, the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), a body empowered to enforce the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), had said it would not hesitate to enforce the ‘odd-even’ plan, order cars off roads, and shut schools if needed. Use of diesel gensets have already been banned in the national capital-region as the air quality entered red zone last week.
GRAP was notified by the Centre in January this year following an order by the apex court in November 2016. According to Gahlot, procurement of additional buses by DTC would be the “main component” of readiness in case the odd-even scheme is implemented.
Ban on Diwali Firecrackers
The Supreme Court had also put a ban on sale of crackers in Delhi and adjoining areas just ahead of Diwali. The ban, which will stay till November 1, was aimed at preventing Delhi from becoming a gas chamber on Diwali.
While referring to the air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR during and immediately after Diwali last year, the apex court observed that due to the adverse effects of burning of fire crackers, “the air quality deteriorates abysmally and alarmingly and the city chokes thereby”.
The top court bench noted in its order that there was direct evidence of deterioration of air quality at alarming levels, which happens every year during Diwali.
Despite the ban, Delhi recorded poor air quality the morning after Diwali. However, data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed that air quality was better than last year.
