The smog continued its grip on the National Capital Region on Monday, even as the sun tried to make its presence felt, albeit for a short while. This, along with high pollution in Varanasi, Lucknow and Kanpur, indicates deteriorating air quality across the Gangetic plain.
News of poor visibility and high pollution in Varanasi, Lucknow and Kanpur also indicated deteriorating air quality across the Gangetic plain. The “emergency levels” of pollution continued.
But, the biggest man-made effort to deal with it, in the form of 'odd-even rule' failed to take off on Monday, as scheduled. The odd-even rule permits vehicles with odd numbers being on the road on odd days, and even numbered ones on even days.
The Kejriwal government had intended implementing the odd-even rule for private vehicles, thereby reducing number of cars on the roads by approximately half. In the past, the scheme was implemented with success, with exemptions made for women at the wheel carrying female passengers or children, presumably to school. There were exemptions for two-wheelers, too, given the huge population of office going people, and the fact that the Delhi metro and the buses were packed to capacity, with the buses even having footboard passengers sometimes on certain routes.
The National Green Tribunal stepped in to ask, “given the lofty goal, why have exemptions”? Outside the court, the Kejriwal government discussed the need to transport people, and concerns of women's safety. And it had decided to take up the matter with the NGT today in the form of a review petition. But government representatives arrived hours late in the court as their case papers were not ready resulting in the case being deferred for Tuesday.
The NGT grilled the government on not being concerned and implementing the odd-even scheme when the air quality began turning poor and suggested it be done whenever the Particulate Matter 2.4 shoots up above 300 for 48 hours.
Ironically, citizens felt the Kejriwal government had once again begun behaving like in their early days—my way or the high way. When the NGT said no exemptions, the AAP leaders dropped the odd-even programme saying they could not compromise with women's safety. “They could have gone ahead without the exemptions, and simultaneously tried to deal with the NGT,” said Kritika, mother of a class 8 boy. She sends him to school with a mask.
From Tuesday, schools are planning to start classes about two hours later than usual.
Meanwhile a large number of Delhi and NCR residents have taken to the social media to put pressure on the government while suggesting ways how people can respond to the situation.
Hashtag #DelhiPollution and #DelhiSmog were trending on Internet. In one such forum, the suggestions included finding alternate solutions to dispose rice stubble, state governments to ban burning of stubble, and Chief Minister Kejriwal was advised to build giant air purifiers in all the zones.
The Central Pollution Control Board was targeted for failing to ensure laws are followed.
Incidentally, Kejriwal, who described the capital as a “gas chamber” could be a victim of the smog and pollution given his asthmatic condition.
About three months ago, the Central government's think tank, Niti Aayog, had set up task forces under its CEO, Amitabh Kant, to suggest a roadmap to bring down pollution levels across the country. Part of the mandate was to reach out to the Delhi government to implement its recommendations.
Individuals and residents' welfare associations are said to be considering spraying water two or three times a day on the roads outside their homes, in the hope that this “rain like” situation keeps the smog away. As K. Rajamani of an RWA in Ghaziabad said, “For a desperate situation like this, we have to try every thing”. He knows many who have recently purchased air-purifiers.
