Odd-even scheme can be only an emergency measure: CSE

The odd-even car-rationing scheme, despite preventing air pollution from getting worse, can be only an "emergency" measure, a green body today said, underlining the need for taking permanent steps to check air pollution in the national capital.
Noting that two-wheelers should also be included in the scheme, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said the first experiment with the scheme in two phases have shown that cutting down vehicle numbers can reduce exposure to toxic pollution and prevents the peaks from getting worse.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal yesterday admitted for the first time that the odd-even scheme cannot be a long-term "remedy" to air pollution.

"Today the air in Delhi is so polluted, action needs to be taken now. Odd-even is an emergency measure. It cannot be brought often or everyday. But when it is brought, it will have an impact on pollution. Data shows, during odd-even pollution levels came down," CSE Director General Sunita Narain told reporters here.
She said that two-wheelers should also be included in the scheme and no one should get exemption.
"Despite so many exemptions, pollution went down to some extent. It is a fact that after April 26 air pollution went up. It was because of crop fires in Punjab and Haryana. We have to understand relation between pollution and weather and then take measures accordingly," she said.

Holding that it is a big decision by the Centre to leapfrog to Bharat VI standards in 2020, Narain said it will definitely make a difference but that will only come in 2020 and action needs to be taken now given the poor air quality in Delhi.

"Odd-even scheme as an emergency measure has prevented the pollution from getting worse. The first experiment with an emergency measure of odd-even scheme in two phases have shown that cutting down vehicle numbers can reduce exposure to toxic pollution and prevents the peaks from getting worse.
"But emergency action will have to be implemented with permanent measures for sustained gains," CSE said.

The organisation's analysis on the Delhi government's second phase of the scheme from April 15 to April 30 had showed that air pollution took a downward dip during the first 10 days of the scheme but registered a sudden spike from April 22 onwards.
On the "second generation" action initiated by the
government to curb air pollution, CSE said there has been a definite bend in pollution curve though it still is very high.
CSE analysis of real time data of Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) showed consistent slowing down of peaking of pollution in response to the action initiated since last year.

It said that environment compensation charge and entry restriction on trucks, push for enforcement on waste burning and dust sources, limited application of odd-even scheme have prevented the pollution from getting worse in the winter.
"Specific action on trucks that has nearly halved truck numbers has lowered night time pollution too. Since last winter air pollution trend showed a definite downward trend influenced by the action.
"The previous winter showed more erratic and highly variable trend influenced by weather conditions. This year despite the variability in weather conditions there is consistent lowering of pollution peaks. This trend will have to be sustained and improved with more strategies.

"Other key strategies already on table are public transport, power plant pollution among others. Air quality analysis by SAFAR also shows PM2.5 and ozone levels this summer are lower than the last summer," CSE said.
It said that the night time pollution is lower as truck numbers are nearly halved and there is clear evidence that with reduction in truck numbers night pollution levels have also been lowered compared to previous year.
"This shows consistently after the implementation of doubling of environment compensation charge and banning of pre-2006 trucks.
"These changes only indicate that while action has started to make an impact more strident steps are needed to bend the pollution curve and ensure clean air targets are met throughout the year," CSE said.