Goel said it was the eastern-western peripheral expressway, inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi in 2016, which had helped reduce pollution in Delhi
New Delhi: Hours after defying the odd-even car rationing scheme which kicked in on Monday in an unusual on-camera confrontation, senior BJP leader Vijay Goel exchanged heated words with Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot over rising pollution in the city.
Vijay Goel asked the AAP minister why the Arvind Kejriwal government introduced the odd-even scheme when the chief minister himself had blamed the plummeting air quality on stubble burning in neighboring states.
Goel asked “I am an MP from Delhi and take up Delhi’s issue in Parliament. You never came to meet me or any of the six MPs Secondly, why was no step taken in the last five years? And if the reason for pollution in stubble burning, then what is the use of implementation of odd-even?”.
Gahlot responded that the Delhi government had sought help. “We have requested the central government to help us with the stubble burning. And if 50% of cars do not ply on the roads, then at least some amount of pollution will reduce,”.
A couple of hours before the meeting, Goel had dubbed the odd-even scheme a “political stunt” by the Kejriwal government and drove in a specially decked up saffron-colored SUV with odd-numbered plates on what is an even-numbered date. Goel also paid the hiked fine of Rs 4,000. The BJP leader had also violated the earlier edition of the odd-even scheme in 2016 and paid Rs 2,000 fine.
“Odd-even can only curb pollution by 1-2 percent, if at all. All claims of curbing pollution are baseless. Declaring fine is not an achievement. No one is following your diktat. Construction is taking place all over,” Goel before meeting Gahlot.
Goel said it was the eastern-western peripheral expressway, inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi in 2016, which had helped reduce pollution in Delhi. “AAP government was supposed to plant 1.5 lakh plants. They haven’t planted any. For five years, the Kejriwal government will not do anything and then wake up and declare odd-even?”
The third attempt of the odd-even scheme will remain in force in the national capital till November 15 from 8 am to 8 pm. Those Violating the scheme will attract a penalty of Rs 4,000, which is double the amount charged in the earlier editions of the scheme in keeping with the hike in traffic fines.
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