Haryana govt to impose odd-even rule in these districts next week

The odd-even scheme is a vehicle rationing scheme under which odd and even numbered vehicles ply on alternate days. Vehicles with registration numbers ending in odd numbers are allowed on the roads on odd days and even-numbered vehicles are allowed on even days.

Besides, the Haryana government has also decided to extend work from home till November 22 in its 14 districts. The extension in work from home applies to both government and private offices. These 14 districts include: Bhiwani, Charkhi, Faridabad, Gurugram, Jhajjar, Jind, Karnal, Nuh, Mehendragarh, Sonipat, Rohtak, Rewari, and Palwal.

The air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region has reached to severe level because of multiple factors. This week, the Supreme Court took cognisance of the toxic air quality in the region and directed the centre and the governments of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana to take urgent measures to curb the pollution.

However, on Wednesday’s hearing, the Centre has opposed the work from home of the central government staff instead it has advised its employees to resort to carpooling as a measure against air pollution.

The Centre through an affidavit told the Supreme Court that the number of vehicles used by the union government is a minuscule fraction of the total vehicles in the national capital and stopping their plying would not make much impact towards improving the air quality of Delhi.

Meanwhile, the anti-pollution body, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has suggested a ban on construction work, shutting schools among other measures to control air pollution in the region. CAQM had directed the government of Delhi, Punjab Rajasthan, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to ensure ‘strict force’ of the measures with immediate effect.

The anti-pollution body also asked people to encourage work from home And 50% staffs working from offices till November 21 which is again subjected to further changes.

Additionally, six thermal power plants located around Delhi will shut down until the end of this month as part of measures to clean some of the world’s dirtiest air. A thick blanket of of toxic haze is an annual phenomenon in Delhi and its surroundings, especially as winter arrives and temperatures dip.

The toxic air quality across several Indian cities is driven by a combination of factors, including vehicular and factory emissions, road dust, construction activities and stubble burning by farmers.