Will go by order: Delhi govt on odd-even after Supreme Court’s ‘optics’ rap

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked whether the odd-even scheme in Delhi has ever worked in curbing pollution.

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said the government will first study the Supreme Court order and then go for the odd-even rule, after the Apex Court on Tuesday rapped government for the pollution situation in the National Capital and asked whether the odd-even scheme to ration the number of cars plying on the roads has ever been successful. “It’s all optics,” the top court observed a day after the Delhi government announced that the odd-even scheme would be back from November 13 to November 20.

On Tuesday, the transport department met to decide the details of the odd-even scheme. “But meanwhile we came across some observations made by the Supreme Court. So now instead of announcing the odd-even rules, we will go through the order/observations of the Supreme Court. After studying them, we will incorporate them into the scheme,” Gopal Rai said.

Has it ever succeeded: What Supreme Court said on odd-even

“Odd-even has been implemented in Delhi, but has it ever succeeded? It’s all optics,” Justice SK Kaul said as a bench of Justice SK Kaul and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia was hearing on Delhi pollution. The Supreme Court asked the Punjab government to stop stubble burning. “We don’t know how you do it, it’s your job. But it must be stopped,” the Supreme Court said.

Delhi has been battling deteriorating air quality for the past five days with physical classes of schools being shut until November 10. Non-essential construction work and an embargo on certain vehicles have been imposed as the qir quality hovered around the severe category. On Tuesday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Anand Vihar was recorded at 440, 388 at Narela, 434 at Punjabi Bagh, 431 at RK Puram, 408 at Shadipur, 404 at IGI Airport, 416 at Jahangirpuri.

Odd-even from November 13?

The Delhi government on Monday announced a week-long odd-even scheme from November 13 to November 20. This is the 4th time that the AAP government is planning to bring back the alternate-day scheme to reduce the number of cars on the road. In this scheme, vehicles with a registration number ending in an even digit ply on even dates and odd digits on odd dates.

After Supreme Court’s hearing on Tuesday, the government will now wait for the order before announcing further details of the odd-even scheme.

Sources: Hindustan Times

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