The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Saturday allowed the Delhi government to go ahead with its plan of implementing the Odd-Even scheme in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). The NGT, however, said there won’t be any exemptions for two-wheelers, government servants or women. However, it said, all emergency vehicles will get exemption during the odd-even scheme. The green tribunal also said “Odd-Even scheme must be implemented in Delhi NCR as and when PM 10 crosses 300 level and PM 2.5 crosses 500”.
The Delhi government had announced the implementation of the Odd-Even plan for five days from November 13 to November 17 in a move to check the rising pollution levels in the national capital.During the hearing, the NGT bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar pulled up the Arvind Kejriwal-led government over the implementation of the Odd-Even formula and asked the latter if it was sure about the benefits of the vehicle rationing system and that citizens would face no inconvenience because of it. It also asked the government why the rule wasn’t applied when the air quality situation was worse. The green panel also asked them to show the letter on the basis of which this decision was taken and whether the Lieutenant Governor’s approval was taken for the same.
The NGT also asked the 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. It also directed all the neighbouring state governments and departments to ensure complete mechanism during environmental emergency. It also directed various departments and executing agencies for better cooperation and coordination including Delhi Police. “Don’t wait for crisis situation,” said the green court to all the concerned authorities.
“How many times does a person breathe in a day,” NGT’s Justice Swantanter Kumar asked the Delhi government, which was represented by Advocate Tarunvir Kehar during the hearing. The tribunal also asked the Centre and Kejriwal government to name a big city where PM 10 levels were lower than 100 in the country.
The green court also questioned Delhi government’s move to hike the parking fees saying, “Won’t the hike of parking fees 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 bench also issued notices to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) to show cause why exemplary cost should not be imposed on them for violation of its order putting a ban on construction activities.
Meanwhile, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) told the NGT they had warned the Delhi government orally in advance about the impending problem, which the latter denied. The CPCB also told the green court that rain might take place in the next two days in the region. The CPCB and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) also told the NGT that water sprinkling was a better way to control pollution, to which the green tribunal agreed.
Both the pollution control organisations also submitted that two-wheelers are more polluting than four-wheelers and their emissions comprise 20 per cent of the total vehicular pollution.
