NGT Declines Plea Challenging Delhi Govt's Decision to Implement Odd-Even Scheme

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The plea said a CPCB assessment of impact of odd-even scheme had found that ambient air quality of the city had deteriorated further during its implementation than when the restriction was not in place.

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday refused to entertain a plea challenging the decision of the AAP government to implement odd-even road rationing scheme in the national capital from November 4-15.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel questioned the maintainability of the plea and "dismissed it as withdrawn". "Under which law of the land is this plea maintainable," the bench said.

The plea, filed by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, said a CPCB assessment of impact of odd-even scheme had found that ambient air quality of the city had deteriorated further during its implementation than when the restriction was not in place. Under the scheme, odd and even numbered vehicles ply on alternate days. It was implemented in Delhi during January and April of 2016.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on September 13 had said the odd-even scheme was part of the seven-point 'Parali Pradushan' (pollution caused by crop stubble burning) action plan that also includes mass distribution of anti-pollution masks, mechanised sweeping and water sprinkling on roads, tree plantation, and special plans for 12 pollution hotspots in Delhi.

"At a time when the country's top environmental pollution control boards like Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi Pollution Control Committee have unequivocally stated that the odd-even policy, when implemented in the year 2016 failed to curb the air pollution menace, stand of the government of Delhi to implement the policy merely on a study done by people of other countries is not only unpleasant but also downgrades the reputation of institutes like CPCB and DPCC," the plea said.

It sought directions to the Delhi government to submit the studies done by foreign countries on the basis of which AAP government has decided to implement the odd-even policy and sought constitution of a committee senior scientists to check the veracity of the study.

The CPCB in its report in 2016 had told the NGT that there is no data to suggest that odd-even scheme has any impact on decrease in vehicular pollution and the fluctuations in PM10 and PM2.5 is due to weather and change in wind patterns.