Odd-even a gimmick to divert attention: Manoj Tiwari

New Delhi: Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari on Saturday wrote to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal urging him to reconsider the move to implement the odd-even scheme again as it would cause problems to the people. Former Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel, meanwhile, alleged that the Kejriwal government has done nothing to control pollution in the last four-and-half years.

In the letter, Mr Tiwari alleged that this is merely a gimmick to divert the attention of Delhiites from the core issues as the AAP government has substantially failed to deliver and wants to use taxpayers’ money on advertisements for its own publicity.

“I am writing to you with great anguish over your government’s decision to introduce odd-even policy in Delhi once again in the month of November. The decision has been taken without a proper thought. This had created so many problems for Delhiites the last time it was done,” he said.

Mr Kejriwal on Friday announced the implementation of the odd-even scheme in Delhi from November 4 to 15, saying it will be one of the seven measures against the high levels of pollution in the city due to crop stubble burning in Haryana and Punjab during the period.

Mr Tiwari said that the AAP government’s decision to stick to the odd-even scheme speaks volumes of its inability to come up with any scientific and reasonable measure to fight air pollution.

“In the interest of the people of Delhi, I urge you to rethink this decision of implementing the odd-even scheme and kindly spare Delhiites unnecessary hassles they would be subjected to with this move,” Mr Tiwari wrote.

Mr Tiwari claimed that as a matter of fact, air pollution in Delhi has decreased by 25 per cent with the opening of the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways owing to the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari.

“The two expressways keep out nearly 60,000 heavy commercial vehicles from Delhi roads, considerably reducing traffic congestion as well as pollution level,” he said.

Calling odd-even scheme a political stunt, Mr Goel, also a Rajya Sabha member, alleged that the Kejriwal government is spending money on advertisement by presenting wrong pollution data.  

“In the last four-and-half years, the Kejriwal government has done nothing to control pollution and with its term coming to an end it is performing political stunt by announcing the odd-even scheme,” Mr Goel added.