In the view of rising air pollution in New Delhi, State Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced on November 6 the odd-even rule from November 13 to 20.
"The odd-even scheme will come into effect in Delhi after Diwali, running from November 13 to November 20. A decision to extend the scheme will be made after November 20," Rai said.
The odd-even rule is a traffic curb in which private vehicles with registration numbers ending with an odd number will be allowed on roads on dates making odd numbers and those with an even number on dates making even numbers.
Earlier today, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called for a high-level meeting amid rising pollution levels in the national capital. Environment Minister Gopal Rai and other related departments also attended.
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The air quality situation in New Delhi and NCR remains critical, with the city's overall air quality index (AQI) continuing to be in the 'critical' category, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR)-India.
As a result, on November 5, restrictions under Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) came into effect in the national capital.
Rai also said that to prioritise the health of school children, the government has decided to suspend in-person classes in all schools, except for students of classes 10 and 12 preparing for board exams.
Pollution levels in Delhi-NCR on November 6 morning were recorded around seven to eight times above the government-prescribed safe limit, as a toxic haze hung over the region for the seventh consecutive day.
According to a 2018 study conducted by The Energy and Resources Institute, vehicular emissions contribute to roughly 40 percent of the PM 2.5 pollution in the national capital.
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