Air quality deteriorates, pollution board asks Delhi-NCR to be prepared to implemment odd-even scheme

NEW DELHI: With air quality deteriorating to 'severe plus or emergency' category on Thursday, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) told the National Capital Region (NCR), including Delhi, to be ready to implement odd-even scheme for private vehicles.

Earlier, the NCR faced an "emergency or severe plus" air pollution situation between November 7 and 14.

The Delhi government was set to introduce the odd-even scheme for the period 13-17 November, but shelved the plan after the NGT ruled against the several exemptions provided in the scheme.

The Green Tribunal had last month too rejected the Delhi government’s plea seeking exemptions for women drivers and two-wheelers in its odd-even scheme to tackle air pollution in the National Capital Region.

The NGT move came as a blow to Delhi government's plan to implement the car-rationing scheme in the national capital anytime soon.

The NGT also pulled up the governments of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab for blaming each other for the decline in air quality and asked them to list the steps taken to control pollution.

The decision to implement the odd-even scheme was taken by the Delhi government after the city witnessed ‘severe’ and ‘emergency’ levels of air quality.

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.

A major challenge in implementing the scheme is poor public transport facilities, despite a well developed Delhi Metro network.

The DTC has a fleet of around 4,000 buses, while the Delhi Integrated Multimodal Transit System (DIMTS) runs over 1,600 buses under the cluster scheme. Experts estimate that the city needs about 11,000 buses to cover all areas.