Odd-even scheme was novel idea: HC

The Delhi High Court on Thursday appreciated the odd-even scheme of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, saying it was "novel idea" and became successful because people wanted to support it.

A division bench of Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva expressed displeasure that Delhi traffic police had minimal role in success of odd-even scheme.

"Your (traffic police) role was minimal (during the odd-even scheme). Why don't you publicise this. Odd-even was novel idea," said the bench, asking the traffic police to come out with comprehensive plan for better vehicular traffic management.

Mooted by the Arvind Kejriwal government, the odd-even scheme that allows odd and even-numbered private vehicles on the city roads on alternate days aimed at reducing air pollution levels in the national capital.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) submitted, to the court, a report and chart of the pollution from 2011 to 2015, which revealed that air pollution remain at peak during three periods in Delhi.

"In the month of October and November, December and January, May and June, pollution in Delhi remain at peak in these years," said DPCC.

In October-November, it is due to biomass burning and agricultural waste in areas surrounding Delhi, while peaking level takes place in December-January due temperature inversion and in May-June, because of dust emitted in Rajasthan, it said.

The report further said that apart from these months, background level of pollution (months except peaking period) is way beyond the prescribed norms.

The court, which was hearing a PIL seeking measures to control increasing air pollution in the national capital, said the government has to take action to bring down the pollution level in peak level and background level.