Introduce odd-even scheme for private cars, add more buses: EPCA to Delhi government

Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority(EPCA) said today the odd-even scheme for private vehicles should be introduced in view of the increased pollution levels in Delhi.

The EPCA directed the Delhi government to "immediately intensify public transport service ensuring there are more buses on the road", adding, "conditions include stopping entry of truck traffic into Delhi(except essential commodities)."

As the pollution level dipped alarmingly during the day with haze enveloping the city, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal asked education minister Manish Sisodia to shut down schools in the national capital.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) declared it a public health emergency and suggested schools to be to shut down and cancellation of the upcoming half marathon saying consequences of poor quality for runners could be "disastrous".

Delhi Govt should start immediately preparing for imposition of some conditions, if weather and pollution conditions aggravate further, the EPCA said, saying: "Conditions also include introduction of odd-even scheme for private vehicles based on license plate numbers with minimal exceptions."

The EPCA also said the Delhi government should immediatly increase parking fee by four times.

The US embassy website said that levels of the fine pollutants, known as PM2.5 which are most harmful to health, reached 703 which was well over double the threshold of 300 that authorities term as "hazardous".

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), emissions are trapped in the environment due to high levels of moisture in the air and lack of wind.