New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: The Supreme Court, which took up the matter of extension of odd-even scheme in Delhi, told the Delhi government on Friday that the traffic rationing cannot be the sollution to control air pollution in the national capital.
The top court further said that the odd-even scheme may not be a permanent solution, especially when Central Pollution Control Board says that cars constitute 3 per cent of pollution levels adding that garbage dumping, construction wastes and road dusts are also major contributors to the pollution levels.
"We can try to control pollution but nature is not in our control. This is what happens when nature is misused, and that if no exemption is given under Odd-Even scheme it can work," the top court observed.
The apex court had asked the Delhi government to tell whether there has been any relief from air pollution from Odd-Even scheme. "Delhi is suffering badly, the Air Quality Index (AQI) is almost 600 even today. How do people breathe?" asked the Supreme Court from the Delhi government.
On this, the Delhi government said that pollution level has got reduced by 5-15 per cent due to Odd-Even scheme and that the result will be better if no exemption is given under the scheme.
"If certain exemptions are removed that are given under the Odd-Even scheme, like 2 wheelers, it will help. We are trying to work it out further, if 2 wheelers won't be allowed, the city will come to a standstill," senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Delhi government, told the court.
The Delhi government further said that the real culprit of pollution in the national capital is stubble burning and no study was done on the impact of Odd-Even last year.
Meanwhile, the apex court also asked the Central government to install air purifying towers across the national capital to deal with pollution crisis.
The odd-even scheme was implemented on Delhi from November 4 and will end today. It prohibits plying of private vehicles based on the last digit of their registration numbers. Vehicles with even digits are only allowed to ply on even dates, and those with odd numbers on odd dates.
Earlier in the day, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said that the a decision to extend the odd-even scheme in the national capital will taken on Monday.
"As per weather forecast, air quality in Delhi to improve in the next 2-3 days. If the air quality doesn't improve, we will take a decision on extending Odd-Even vehicle scheme on November 18," Kejriwal said in a press conference today.
The air quality in Delhi, Ghaziabad and Noida remained in the 'severe' category on Friday. At 11.30 am, the AQI in Delhi was recorded at 466.