'Has it ever succeeded?': Supreme Court calls odd-even scheme 'optics' as Delhi's air gets noxious

Delhi air pollution news: The Supreme Court on Tuesday called out the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government on its odd-even scheme and questioned its efficacy in controlling the rising pollution levels of the national capital. The top court also called the scheme as being "mere optics". 

Commenting on the odd-even scheme, Justice SK Kaul said, "Odd-even has been implemented in Delhi, but has it ever succeeded? It's all optics." The Delhi government on Monday said that the odd-even car rationing scheme, which allows cars with either only odd or only even number plates to play on a given date, will be implemented from November 13-20. 

The Supreme Court made the scathing remarks while announcing a set of orders to tackle the rising air pollution levels in Delhi. Not only the odd-even scheme, the apex court also castigated the state governments of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan over the issue of stubble burning.

The top court said asked the state governments, especially Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government, to stop stubble burning, at the earliest. "We want it (stubble burning) stopped. We don't know how you do it, it's your job. But it must be stopped. Something has to be done immediately," the top court told the Punjab government. 

The top court also told the state governments to stop indulging in blame game over the issue of stubble burning as it said, "Where is the reduction [in farm fires]? The only difference is you have suddenly sought to shift the blame on other states... It's obvious why. But this can't be a political battle all the time." The Supreme Court also said that Delhiites cannot be made to suffer because of severe air pollution for years on end.

"Cannot let people die like this," the top court said while reprimanding the state governments. The top court further said that it has zero tolerance towards the alarming pollution situation in the national capital year after year. "Everything needs to be sorted out, we are at zero patience at this level," the Supreme Court said. 

After the Supreme Court's orders, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said tha the government will go through it carefully. Rai added that odd-even implementation rules will be decided after studying the Supreme Court's order. 

Meanwhile, Delhi's air continues to remain noxious as the national capital's air quality was in the 'very poor' category on Tuesday. As of 7 am today, the city's overall air quality index (AQI) stood at 396. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 438 whereas Okhla Phase 2 and Rohini logged an AQI of 422 and 444 respectively. In the National Capital Region (NCR), Greater Noida recorded an AQI of 439, Ghaziabad 338, Gurugram 348 and Faridabad 382. 

Also Read: Delhi pollution: Odd-even scheme returns; to be implemented on Nov 13-20