NGT refuses exemptions on odd-even

New Delhi: Hours after the National Green Tribunal refused to exempt women and two-wheelers and ordered that diesel vehicles over 10 years old be taken off the roads immediately on Tuesday, the Delhi government filed a second review application seeking the same exemption for a year or till 2,000 buses are added to the public transport fleet. It also demanded that the vehicle restriction scheme be implemented in NCR as well.

Earlier in the day, the green tribunal turned down the Delhi government’s plea to exempt women drivers and two-wheelers from the odd-even vehicle restriction scheme, saying there was “no logic” to the proposal.

But, coming up with its second review petition, the Delhi government tried to address the “logic” for seeking the exemptions and sought implementation of the odd-even scheme in the neighbouring states as well, or at least part of NCR, including places in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, stating that they had a cumulative effect on Delhi’s air.

“Direct neighbouring states to implement odd-even scheme,” the new review petition of the Delhi government read.

Defending exemption for women drivers from the odd-even scheme, the Delhi government pointed to “comfort” of women as the logic and continued seeking it in the new petition. “Such women will not feel comfortable while travelling in heavily crowded buses,” the petition stated.

The city government also came up with a defence for two-wheelers, stating that it would need at least 2,500 additional buses to accommodate women and two-wheeler riders, which it currently did not have.

Meanwhile, the tribunal, which expressed concern over the pollution level which was an “environmental and health emergency”, said the city should “not gift infected lungs to its children”.