The Delhi government on Tuesday withdrew its petition from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) seeking amendment in its November 11 order on odd-even car rationing scheme.
The Delhi government on Tuesday withdrew its petition from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) seeking amendment in its November 11 order on odd-even car rationing scheme.
The government had sought exemption of women drivers from the scheme, saying it may affect the safety and security of women.
However, the green court rapped the Kejriwal government and asked what constitutes a health emergency according to them.
"Don't gift infected lungs to children. They have to wear masks to school. Measures should be applied automatically by the government after dangerous levels of PM 2.5 and PM 10 persist for more than 48 hours."
"When reports have stated that two-wheelers are more polluting than four-wheelers, why do you intend to give arbitrary exemptions? Is this a joke? What does one stand to gain from this?" the tribunal said.
The NGT also suggested that Delhi government take care of the logical explanations for Odd-Even exemption when they approach again.
The NGT also directed the government to identify polluted parts of the city and deploy helocopters to sprinkle water or using other means such as deploying the fire department. Municipal corporations, the Central Pollution Control Board, and the the Delhi Pollution Control Committee have also been asked to cooperate.
"We further clarify that industries involved in manufacturing of essential goods and eatables/foods are exempted from prohibitory orders of the Tribunal," the NGT said following the applications of certain industries such as All India Rice Manufacturers association and others.
In its modifications, the NGT has also directed that industries whose emissions are within prescribed parameters and those complying with norms should be permitted to operate.
In addition, subject to an undertaking from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the NGT also permitted to continue construction of the eastern periphery bypass road and Delhi-Meerut highway work. The NHAI has been directed to give an undertaking that there won't be dust pollution.
The NGT had on November 11 given a conditional nod to the AAP government's decision to implement the odd-even car rationing scheme for five days from November 13, ordering that no exemption should be allowed to 'any person or officer and two-wheelers'.
It had said the odd-even scheme should be implemented 'without any default' as and when PM (particulate matter) 10 level goes above 500 microgrammes per cubic metre and PM 2.5 level crosses the limit of 300 microgrammes per cubic metre during a span of 48 hours.
The Supreme Court has also sought a response from the Centre and Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab state governments on a plea seeking to curb rising pollution in Delhi and the national capital region (NCR).
The national capital region has been experiencing dense smog for about a week, forcing the authorities to enforce emergency measures such as banning construction activities and brick kilns.
The practice of burning of crop residue by farmers of the two states have been blamed for the toxic smog enveloping the region during the winter season every year.
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