Delhi govt suspends Odd-Even rule as air quality improves post rains

The Delhi government has postponed the Odd-Even rule, which was scheduled to be implemented from November 13 to 20, in view of the relief in air quality after rains. Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that the government will analyse the situation again after Diwali and decide whether to implement the scheme or not.

The Odd-Even scheme is a traffic restriction measure that restricts cars on the road based on their registration numbers. Cars with odd registration numbers are allowed on the road on odd dates, while cars with even registration numbers are allowed on the road on even dates. The scheme has been implemented in Delhi on several occasions in the past to improve air quality.

The decision comes after light to moderate intensity rain lashed several parts of Delhi and NCR early on Friday morning, further bringing down the temperature and improving the air quality. For the past few days, air quality has been in 'severe' category in several parts of Delhi, Noida and Gurugram. The 24-hour average AQI in the capital on Thursday was seen at 437, which falls in the ‘severe’ category.

In Delhi, the government is considering cloud seeding as a way to reduce pollution levels. Air pollution is a major problem in Delhi, and it can lead to serious health problems for residents. The government believes that cloud seeding could help to clear the air by producing rain, which would wash away the pollutants.

The Delhi government recently filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, stating that its odd-even scheme to curb vehicular emissions reduced road congestion. This comes two days after the Supreme Court termed the scheme as "optics."

The affidavit, filed by the Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai, claims that the odd-even scheme reduced the number of vehicles on the road by 15-20%. This led to a decrease in traffic congestion and a corresponding improvement in air quality.

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