New Delhi, Apr 1 (PTI) The previous AAP government’s flagship odd-even scheme aimed at curbing air pollution in the national capital was not “effectively” implemented, according to a CAG report presented in the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday.
The report on vehicular air pollution in Delhi, tabled by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta in the assembly, also flagged major policy gaps and poor coordination among agencies as key factors contributing to worsening pollution in the city.
According to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, there were 95 instances between January 2017 and March 2020 when GRAP restrictions such as the odd-even scheme and the ban on truck entry should have been enforced due to severe pollution.
However, the Department of Transport (DoT) implemented the vehicle rationing scheme only five times and restricted truck entry on just eight occasions during this period, it said.
The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) mandates these measures when PM2.5 levels exceed 300 µg/m³ or PM10 levels surpass 500 µg/m³ for over 48 hours.
The odd-even scheme was not “effectively” implemented, the CAG report said.
The report further noted that to reduce pollution, the government did not take adequate steps like developing inter-state bus terminals (ISBTs) at Delhi’s entry points or relocating inland container depots outside the city.
Moreover, two-wheelers, which make up 66 per cent of registered vehicles in Delhi, were exempted from the odd-even scheme every time it was enforced, the report said.
The audit pointed out that the government did not seek expert opinions on the impact of these exemptions before implementing the scheme.
The DoT admitted in October 2021 that the inadequacy of public transport was a major constraint in fully implementing the vehicle rationing scheme, it said.
The report concluded that the lack of timely action undermined GRAP’s objectives, allowing pollution levels to remain high despite clear mitigation guidelines.
Speaking on the CAG report, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa slammed the previous AAP government over the scheme.
“They spent Rs 53 crore solely on implementing the odd-even scheme, but it did not lead to any significant reduction in vehicle pollution. Instead of investing in concrete pollution control measures, the previous government spent money only on publicity campaigns, which provided no lasting benefits to Delhi’s environment,” he said.
He further pointed out that in 2012, Delhi needed 11,000 DTC buses, but at that time, the then Congress government was operating 50 per cent private buses.
Before the AAP government took over, 5,223 DTC buses were running. However, after the AAP came to power, 2,000 buses disappeared, while the number of private buses increased from 1,293 to 2,990, Sirsa claimed.
The minister also mentioned the smog tower set up in Connaught Place, saying, “AAP spent Rs 22 crore on a smog tower, but within a year, it stopped functioning.” He also alleged mismanagement in operations of DTC buses.
Sirsa claimed that a company was formed to manage bus services, with the Delhi government holding a 50 per cent stake. However, the company, originally valued at Rs 200 crore, was later sold for just Rs 10 crore, he said.
Sirsa further alleged that the company was sold to entities that later partnered with Russian firms, facilitating under-the-table transactions abroad. PTI NSM NSM KVK KVK
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