The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government to consider if the odd-even experiment could be restricted to a week instead of a fortnight, as planned earlier.
The court highlighted the “inconvenience” caused to the people by the implementation of the scheme due to lack of an adequate and efficient public transport system.
Terming as “vague” the status report submitted by the Government on implementation of the scheme, the HC also sought information about the pollution caused by taxis running on diesel and CNG which have been kept out of the purview of the odd-even formula.
Fixing the next hearing for January 8, the HC also sought data related to changes in the pollution level between January 1 and 7, the day the scheme would have completed a week.
“You (Government) have to think about it. Your status report is vague and does not reveal much. There isn’t sufficient public transport. Is it really necessary to have it for 15 daysIJ
“Aren’t these six days enough for youIJ We permitted the Government to run this scheme for one week during which they must have collected data relating to pollution levels in the city. You will have to think about inconvenience caused to the public at large as there are practical difficulties,” a division Bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath said.
later in the day, reacting to the HC’s comments, Transport Minister Gopal Rai said the measure was being enforced for 15 days to enable the Government to collect sufficient data that would be produced before the Delhi HC as per its order.
The HC’s direction came on a batch of petitions filed by individuals including lawyers who have challenged the Government’s December 28, 2015 notification bringing into force the odd-even scheme.
Seeking quashing of the notification, a plea filed by Delhi HC Bar Association president Rajiv Khosla questioned how a fine of Rs 2,000 was being slapped on violators of the odd-even rule without necessary amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act.
Opposing the petitioners, senior standing counsel for the Government Rahul Mehra said: “The scheme is only for 15 days and the State is equally pained by the inconvenience being caused to the public.”
Talking about the need to implement the scheme due to high levels of pollution in the city that have led to respiratory diseases among children and babies, he said: “We have been tagged as the most polluted city in the world”.
To this, the Chief Justice interjected: “At present you are causing more inconvenience to the public”.
Responding to the Chief Justice, Mehra insisted that whatever the Government was doing was in the interest of Delhiites.
“We have to take into consideration the future of the next generation. Entire world is considering climate change. We also have to take steps. Even Chief Justice of India and the judges of this court are supporting the scheme. Courts have been functioning well in the past few days,” he said.