Odd-even only after adequate preparations, says Satyendar Jain

New Delhi: The Delhi government on Tuesday asked for adequate time from the Centre before implementation of the third phase of the odd-even scheme. In a meeting of NCR planning board chaired by Union urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu, transport minister Satyendar Jain made it clear that the third phase of the scheme will only be implemented with adequate preparations and awareness to the people.

The main focus of the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) meeting was on the rising pollution level in the city. Earlier this month, the Centre had submitted in the Supreme Court its action plan to tackle the menace of air pollution and recommended a slew of measures, including ban on construction activities and implementation of odd-even scheme in the national capital. “In the NCR Planning Board meeting, I have requested the Centre to give us sufficient time before implementing the odd-even scheme so that we can sensitise people and generate awareness among the masses about it. I have no objection on the next round of odd-even scheme. If Centre today says that odd-even will be implemented tomorrow, it cannot happen in one day. We need sufficient time before implementing the scheme,” Mr Jain said. The minister also urged the Central government to think about the livelihood of lakhs of labourers before banning construction activities as it has come to the notice that due to this move, labourers go o their native villages.

“When the construction activities were recently banned in Delhi, most of labourers had gone to their villages. In view of this, I have requested the Union minister to consider about their livelihood before taking any such decision,” he added. Mr Jain said that during the meeting, the report of IIT Kanpur on the city’s air pollution was also discussed.