In order to assess the impact of the 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' drive, the Delhi Government has decided to conduct a third-party audit of the ambitious initiative.
According to an official, a proposal for a third-party audit of the drive has been sent to the Delhi Environment Minister's office. “We are awaiting the nod. We will try to assess the impact of the drive on vehicular pollution,” said the official.
Under the drive launched on October 16, 2020 to cut down vehicular pollution in the national Capital, drivers are encouraged to switch off their vehicles while waiting for the traffic light to turn green. Another official said the drive is planned this year too. “Whether any campaign is a success or not depends upon public participation. The people need to fulfil their responsibility in the fight against pollution," he said.
At the launch of the campaign at the ITO traffic signal in October 2020, Environment Minister Gopal Rai had said vehicular pollution in Delhi can be reduced by 15 to 20 per cent if commuters turn off their vehicle engines while waiting at traffic signals.
Data from the Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) shows if people switch off engines at traffic signals, pollution can be cut down by 13 to 20 per cent. According to Government estimates, the transport sector accounts for 28 per cent of the PM2.5 emissions in Delhi. The vehicular contribution also makes up 80 per cent of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide in Delhi's air.
A total of 1.33 crore vehicles are registered in Delhi currently. The count of vehicles in the national Capital more than doubled to 643 per 1,000 population in 2019-20 from 317 in 2005-06. As part of the 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign, the Environment Department deploys civil defence volunteers at major traffic junctions in the city who ensure the commuters kill the engine while waiting at traffic signals and hand out pamphlets carrying information on vehicular pollution.
The department deployed around 2,500 civil defence volunteers in two shifts of 8 am to 2 pm and 2 pm to 8 pm at 100 traffic junctions in the latest leg of the campaign from October 18 to December 18 last year.
The Government pays Rs 700 a day to every volunteer, according to officials. The AAP Government had also got an audit done of 'Pusa bio decomposer', a microbial solution for fermenting stubble into manure, by WAPCOS, a consultancy firm of the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, last year.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said the audit found the solution to be highly effective and had urged the Centre to ask neighbouring States to distribute it for free among farmers.
The Delhi Government used solution, prepared by scientists at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, to manage stubble in non-basmati rice fields here post harvest in 2020 and 2021.