Delhi pollution news: Odd-even rule to make a comeback? Here's what Minister Gopal Rai said

Delhi AQI News: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has shared an update on implementing the Odd-Even rule for plying of vehicles in national capital Delhi, as the city suffers a severely poor air quality ahead of winter.

Minister Gopal Rai said that they are not deferring the Odd-Even rule as Delhi chokes from intense air pollution. The odd-even scheme of the Delhi government is a traffic rationing measure under which private vehicles with registration numbers ending with an odd digit will be allowed on roads on odd dates and those with an even digit on even dates.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday said, “We are not delaying (for odd-even). The Supreme Court has given the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) the mandate to take the decision. According to their direction, we are moving our steps. If the situation turns very serious, then we will take further decisions after discussing it with everyone.”

Minister Rai called upon his Union counterpart Bhupender Yadav on Friday to become "active" in addressing the air pollution problem, emphasising that it's not just the national capital but the entire North India that is breathing polluted air.

He cautioned that the next 15 days are critical for the entire Delhi-NCR and that all state governments should remain vigilant and work together to control air pollution.

Delhi's air quality plummeted to the 'severe plus' category on Friday morning, at which point all emergency measures, including a ban on polluting trucks, commercial four-wheelers, and all types of construction, are mandated to be initiated and enforced in the National Capital Region.

The city's AQI rose from 351 at 10 am on Thursday to 475 at 12 noon on Friday.

Construction work related to national security or defence, projects of national importance, healthcare, railways, metro rail, airports, interstate bus terminals, highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines, sanitation, and water supply are exempt from the ban.

This action is part of Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) — the Centre's air pollution control plan implemented in the region during the winter season.

Under Stage III, restrictions are also imposed on the operation of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar.

(With agency inputs)