Odd-even part 2 from April 15, #Delhi govt to monitor air in #Noida, Gzb
The Delhi government has decided to install air quality monitoring systems in the national capital region when the odd-even scheme is rolled out for the second time in Delhi on April 15.
The list of exemptions from the odd-even restrictions will be announced on April 8.
The odd-even scheme was introduced in the national capital for the first time from January 1 to January 15. In the first phase of the road rationing scheme, women drivers, CNGfuelled cars, all types of emergency vehicles, VIPs (excluding some of those associated with the Delhi government), and the differently-abled were exempted.
Delhi transport minister Gopal Rai said on Monday that the environment department has been directed to come up with a detailed plan for the areas and locations where pollution readers would be placed to assess air quality.
The odd-even scheme was implemented successfully in January, when the city witnessed a considerable drop in traffic volume, but confusion remained over the scheme’s success in cutting pollution. The Delhi gover nment had said that the environmental conditions in neighbouring Ghaziabad, Noida and Gurgaon could have prevented a significant dip in air pollutants, especially in the border areas of the city.
“When the odd-even scheme returns in April, the air quality will be monitored even in NCR towns. The decision has been taken to assess how different is the air quality in areas where the odd-even scheme is not in place in comparison with the air quality in the Capital during the same period,” Rai told reporters after attending the first coordination committee meeting of the odd-even scheme.
The scheme will be in force from April 15 to April 30.
The transport minister also said that the “rotational route monitoring” will be done to map pollutants on an entire stretch instead of recording air quality at fixed locations. “Mobile vehicles will do sampling on particular routes twice a day. It will help in assessing environmental impact in the surrounding areas as well on these stretches,” Rai added.
It was also decided to hire ex-servicemen on contract basis for 15 days to assist the enforcement team of transport department in monitoring and issuing challans to defaulters during the drive.
Interviews for inducting ex-servicemen will begin from March 28.
The transport department will also begin registration of contract carriage buses for ‘paryavaran bus sewa’ to be run during the scheme period, the Delhi transport minister told reporters.
