Odd-Even vehicle ration plan may be back in Delhi this winter to fight pollution
- Delhi government announced Winter Action Plan which highlights Odd-Even vehicle rationing plan can also be considered in case of toxic air quality.
The Delhi government is preparing to tackle the recurring menace of pollution ahead of Diwali and the winter months and has informed of a ‘Winter Action Plan’ that will look at a more exhaustive counter to ensure that the toxic air in the country's capital city is brought under control. And part of the plan is to also come out with the Odd-Even vehicle rationing mechanism if and when the need for it is felt.
The Odd-Even vehicle rationing scheme essentially permits vehicles with an odd-numbered last digit on the registration plate to be driven on certain days of the week and vehicles with even-numbered last digit on the registration plate on the other days. The idea - in principle - is to bring down the number of vehicles on city roads on any given day, thereby lowering vehicular emissions.
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In Delhi, a number of factors have been identified as causes for air quality levels to deteriorate in the run-up to and during the winter months. These range from burning of stubble waste in adjoining states to firecrackers burnt during Diwali to even vehicular emissions. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai recently said that the Winter Action Plan will look at tackling all of these issues.
As per the Winter Action Plan, drones will be deployed to monitor 13 hotspots in Delhi that are the most polluted. "The Winter Action Plan, set to be unveiled on September 27, targets pollution hotspots, vehicle and dust pollution, industrial emissions, and introduces innovative emergency measures such as the odd-even vehicle scheme and artificial rain to combat severe pollution spells," the government statement informed.
Does Odd-Even vehicle scheme even work?
The Odd-Even vehicle rationing scheme has been initiated in many global cities but with mixed results. Even Delhi has previously experimented with it and the first time it was implemented was back in 2016. It was once again implemented in 2017 and in 2019. It was announced last year as well but the Delhi government took note of the Supreme Court questioning the effect that the scheme had on bringing down pollution levels.
One of the strongest arguments made against the Odd-Even scheme is that it makes too many exceptions - from two-wheelers and public-transport options to CNG vehicles - for it to be effective.
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