Is odd-even a good idea? NGT to examine Arvind Kejriwal's decision to bring it back to fight air pollution

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday will examine the Delhi government's decision to implement odd-even scheme from November 13 in the wake of deadly smog blanketing Delhi and all neighbouring states for past several days. 

The tribunal asked the Delhi government on the rationale behind the application of the odd-even formula and the data on old cars in Delhi. It has directed the government to produce details of ambient air quality during earlier odd even schemes. 

On Thursday, the tribunal banned construction and industrial activities and entry of trucks, as it rapped the Delhi government and civic bodies over the alarming pollution situation in the city.

As per reports, it ordered diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol cars older than 15 to be stopped from entering Delhi.

Slamming Delhi government and governments in neighbouring states, the NGT questioned the seriousness with which the stakeholders are dealing with the grievous situation.

It asked the Delhi government to take effective steps to curtail pollution and sought for details on the number of challans that have been issued to violators and the number of construction sites where work has been stopped. It also questioned why rain isn't artificially being triggered using helicopters.

On April 21, last year, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had told NGT that there was no data to suggest that the odd-even scheme has led to a decline in vehicular pollution in Delhi-NCR.

The pollution monitoring body had said that there was no data to indicate that car rationing scheme has any impact on the decrease in vehicular pollution and the fluctuations in PM10 and PM2.5 is due to weather and change in wind patterns.

The national capital is experiencing 'severe' air quality under a blanket of thick haze, as pollution levels have breached permissible standards by multiple times.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has recorded 'severe' air quality, meaning that the intensity of pollution was extreme. 

The Delhi government yesterday announced that the odd-even car rationing scheme will be rolled out in the state for five days from November 13 as part of a graded response plan to tackle the air quality situation.