Hours after the Delhi government re-introduced the Odd-Even road rationing scheme in Delhi on Monday, the Supreme Court questioned Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Goverment about the logic behind the scheme and asked it to produce data to prove that the road rationing plan reduces pollution.
"What are you achieving by odd and even? Are you preventing running of taxis? Have you any "figure on impact of odd and even," the court asked.
The apex court further observed, "People have to travel. You are not stopping travel. What do you achieve by stopping cars?" said Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta, who are hearing a plea by the pollution control body, Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) on stubble burning in neighbouring states – Punjab and Haryana.
People have criticised the Delhi government's decision of exempting women driving cars and two-wheeler and commercial vehicles, saying it would lessen impact on reducing air pollution.
"It has been argued that more use of two and three wheeler is causing more harm and there is no use in implementing odd-even," the court said.
When the government suggested that fewer cars would mean less pollution, the court said that "More autos are plying, that's more pollution."
The bench directed the Delhi government to respond on stopping diesel vehicles and submit a data on the difference between stopping four wheeler and using only two and three wheeler.
The court also stopped construction and demolition work across Delhi and tasked the municipal authorities to ensure that no violation takes place. Entry of diesel vehicles and garbage burning was also banned in the National Capital.
