NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Friday deferred its plan to implement the odd-even road rationing policy from November 13 in the wake of improvement in the city’s air quality index following a sudden spell of rains, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said.
“An improvement has been witnessed in the air quality of Delhi. The pollution levels had reached severe plus and AQI was over 450, which has now improved to around 300. The government has decided to postpone the decision to implement odd-even from November 13 to 20, Rai said at a press conference at the Delhi Secretariat.
The pollution situation would be reviewed again after Diwali and if the pollution levels are in the severe category, the government will take further decisions accordingly, he added.
Also Read: In affidavit to SC, Delhi govt cites studies to back odd-even
The odd-even scheme is part of the restrictions mandated under the Graded Response Action Plan, or Grap-4 when the air quality index reaches severe plus levels (AQI value of 450+).
According to the odd-even scheme, private vehicles with registration plates ending in odd numbers will be allowed on the streets on odd-numbered dates, while even-numbered vehicles can ply on even dates.
Also Read: Anti-pollution measure Odd-Even Scheme, triggers debate
Rai announced the government’s plan to introduce the odd-even scheme on Monday but decided to go slow after questions were raised about its effectiveness as an instrument to control vehicular pollution in the course of a hearing on air pollution in the Supreme Court on Tuesday. The top court called the road rationing policy “optics” and asked the city government for its stand on measures such as odd-even and barring commercial cabs registered outside Delhi in the city.
The Delhi government backed its odd-even plan in the Supreme Court, asserting in an affidavit that “the policy works as an effective emergency measure”, and shared two independent impact evaluations conducted during the first two implementations of the scheme — during January 1-15, 2016, and April 15-30, 2016.
To be sure, the plan, first implemented in Delhi in 2016 and repeated in 2007 and 2019, has been a matter of debate with no comprehensive study backing the step in its efficacy to curb vehicular pollution.
Rai’s announcement came after the hearing in the Supreme Court. On Friday, the bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia told the government to take a decision on its own and not try to shift the burden to the top court.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!” Click here!Credit: Source link