National News
Delhi pollution: NGT okays odd-even, no exemption for women and 2-wheelers
The NGT today gave green signal for implementing odd-even scheme in Delhi.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has given its nod to implement odd-even scheme in Delhi in order to check air pollution in the capital city. The NGT today allowed the Delhi government to implement odd-even scheme with certain conditions.
The NGT said that the Delhi government would have to implement odd-even scheme as soon as PM10 hits 500 mark while PM 2.5 gets to 300. The Delhi government has proposed to implement odd-even scheme between November 13 and 17.
The NGT also said that no official or women and two-wheelers would be given any exemption while implementing odd-even scheme in Delhi. The NGT observed that water sprinkling is a better way to control pollution.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) earlier submitted that two wheelers are more polluting than four wheelers, and their emissions comprise 20 per cent of the total vehicular pollution.
Before allowing the Delhi government to go ahead with its vehicle rota scheme in the city, the NGT issued a set of orders aimed at reducing air pollution.
The NGT asked the Delhi government not to hike the parking fees as it would “only benefit the parking lots, and would stress people even further, thereby encouraging them to park vehicles on the roads instead, choking them in the process.”
The NGT also asked the Delhi Traffic Police to deploy its personnel at traffic lights, observing that almost all the main roads in the city are witness to diesel vehicles which are older than 10 years and petrol vehicles which are older than 15 years.
WHAT ELSE HAPPENED IN NGT?
During the hearing today, the NGT sought to know the answers to five questions the tribunal had posed to authorities.
The NGT asked the Delhi government to show the study to justify implementation of odd-even in the city as an effective measure to curb air pollution. In response, the Delhi government told the NGT that it had sought suggestions from the Environment Pollution (Prevent and Control) Authority (EPCA) in this regard.
The NGT expressed displeasure over conflicting data presented before it by the Delhi government and the CPCB. “It seems one is living in London and the other in Ghaziabad,” the NGT remarked.
At one point during hearing, the NGT asked the DTC representative if he had read the tribunal’s order. The DTC representative answered in negative to which the NGT remarked, “It is sad that you don’t read orders.”
