Odd-even scheme "half-baked solution", ineffective in reducing pollution: SC

The Supreme Court Friday said the odd-even vehicle rotation scheme of the Delhi government was a "half-baked solution" to the severe pollution level in the national capital as it is not effective in reducing pollution.

The apex court questioned the exemptions given, including to two and three wheelers, during the scheme and asked the Delhi government as to whether it helped reduce pollution.

A bench of justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta said that as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the contribution of cars in pollution was around 3 per cent and odd-even was not a permanent solution to the problem.

"This odd-even is also a half-baked solution. You may go for full odd-even without any exemption," the bench told senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who was appearing for the Delhi government.

"We have seen that in spite of imposition of odd-even scheme the pollution is increasing in the city of Delhi and the NCR region and pollution has reached to very severe level. Drastic steps are required to be taken by all concerned working in tandem and to cooperate with each other as it is not an adversarial litigation," the bench said.

Additional Solicitor General A N S Nadkarni, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that as per CPCB's study, odd-even scheme has no effect on reducing the pollution level.

Rohatgi countered this submission and said as per study reports, the pollution level has reduced from five to 15 per cent during odd-even scheme.

"If exemptions are removed, it might reduce more. There are large number of two wheelers in the city and if we stop them (during odd-even scheme), the whole city will collapse," he said, adding, "The real culprit is stubble burning".

The bench said it was concerned as when there would be fog, the problem of pollution might become more worse.

"The problem is that we are facing (pollution) it everyday. To minimise this, what should we do," the bench said, adding, "Even if the stubble burning will stop, as soon as the fog comes, the air quality would further deteriorate."