Friday, Apr 26, 2024 | Last Update : 06:09 AM IST
Next odd-even phase after public consultation: AAP government
After the Phase II of the odd-even car rationing scheme ended on Saturday, the AAP government on Monday said it will consult people and take into account the experiences of the first two phases before
After the Phase II of the odd-even car rationing scheme ended on Saturday, the AAP government on Monday said it will consult people and take into account the experiences of the first two phases before announcing the next phase of the scheme.
City PWD minister Satyendar Jain said that the AAP government has undertaken a series of measures to curb pollution, both from vehicles and dust, which include marking of dedicated bus lanes and vacuum cleaning of roads under its jurisdiction. He said the government has also sent a proposal to lieutenant-governor Najeeb Jung for imposing a fine of Rs 2,000 on those who violate the bus lanes. Mr Jung had raised some objections, which will be addressed, he added.
Mr Jain also lashed out people who claimed that pollution had increased during the odd-even scheme. “If the diesel and pollution consumption has gone down by 30 per cent, how can pollution rise To fail odd-even, some people say that pollution has increased due to it. This is wrong. Our government is new and we don’t have any baggage. We can even fail and we are ready to take failures. Many big people are not ready to take failure. We are starters, so we don’t have any issues in learning. And if we have to do it again, then we will ask you, learn from past experiences and we will do it only then,” Mr Jain said, speaking at a conference organised by the United Residents Joint Action of Delhi (URJA), where the Delhi Clean Air Forum campaign was launched. He said the AAP government has been successful in bringing the issue of pollution to the centrestage.
Roads measuring 1,260 km are under the jurisdiction of the Delhi government and it has started the initiative of using vacuum cleaners to clean them to cut down dust pollution. However, it will take two more months for the project to start on fullscale, he said.
The PWD is also planning to cover the soil around these roads with grass.
“Fifty per cent of pollution is because of dust and the remaining 50 per cent due to vehicular pollution. We will be vacuum cleaning the dust,” he said.
Encroachments are proving to be a hindrance in marking dedicated bus lanes.
Mr Jain, who is also the power minister, said the AAP government has taken steps to curb pollution from electricity firms.
