NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has deferred the implementation of the odd-even car rationing scheme till the time the Supreme Court reviews its effectiveness in curbing the Air Quality Index and issues an order in that regard, Environment Minister Gopal Rai declared on Wednesday.
He told a press conference here that Delhi Government would submit the outcomes of two major studies conducted by the Energy Policy Institute of the University of Chicago and the Delhi Technical University to determine the effectiveness of the odd-even scheme. He said the matter will be heard on Friday.
The Delhi government’s decision came after the SC questioned on Tuesday the effectiveness of the odd-even scheme in curbing air pollution and termed it as “all optics”.
Notably, the Delhi government announced the implementation of the odd-even scheme from November 13 to 20.
The scheme allows the car to operate in Delhi on alternate days based on their odd or even number plates.
Has odd-even scheme ever succeeded?
A day after the Delhi government announced the return of the odd-even scheme amid deteriorating air quality in the city, the Supreme Court raised questions about the success of the policy and remarked that it was only about “optics”.
The Delhi government on Monday announced the return of its odd-even scheme after four years, anticipating further deterioration of air quality post-Diwali. The odd-even scheme allows cars to operate on alternate days based on their odd or even number plates in a bid to keep down vehicular emissions.
As thick smog shrouded the national capital, the Supreme Court on Tuesday came down hard on the Delhi government’s pollution control measures, particularly its flagship odd-even car rationing scheme.
