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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Govt tied in knots over odd-even data -Damini Nath

Govt tied in knots over odd-even data -Damini Nath

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published Published on Feb 1, 2016   modified Modified on Feb 1, 2016
-The Hindu

New Delhi: No lessons were learned; in fact it is unlikely that any can be learned from the Delhi Government’s odd-even experiment earlier this month as air quality data from the 15-day period has thrown up inconclusive results.

After being pulled up by courts for Delhi’s abysmal air quality, the government had announced on December 4, 2015, that it would conduct an experiment to reduce vehicular traffic, thereby reducing pollution. From January 1 to 15, private cars that had registration numbers ending in odd and even numbers were allowed to ply on odd and even numbered days respectively.

Now that the dust has settled, the government’s own report on air quality during the odd-even experiment shows that particulate matter increased in many locations, even though fewer vehicles were on the roads.

Three different types of monitoring were done at 272 locations across the city to gauge the impact: Real-time data from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s six fixed monitoring stations; manual monitoring by Shri Ram Institute for Industrial Research at 20 locations; and mobile monitoring by the DPCC at 246 sites.

From the 20 locations studied by Shri Ram institute, data for 12 sites is available for both before and during the odd-even period. Levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) went up in all but two sites, while the levels of PM10 increased in each of the 12 locations.

Data from the mobile monitoring, which was done using the light scattering method, does not say much as the 246 locations were not studied before the odd-even restrictions began, so there is no comparison to be made. The data does, however, highlight the variation of PM levels across the city, with the PM2.5 concentration ranging from 150 to a whopping 1,000 micrograms per cubic metre. The standard for PM2.5 is 60.

The data doesn’t say whether odd-even was a success or a failure, and it cannot. The levels of particulate matter dipped when wind speed went up and vice-versa, showing that the weather conditions ruled supreme. The Central Pollution Control Board had also found that there was no clear trend seen in the 15 days.

The government had proclaimed the experiment a success in its official statements during and after the odd-even scheme. However, Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain was unavailable for comment.

According to sources in the government, the data of ambient air quality collected during the period will be shared with experts at the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur for analysis. The IIT-Kanpur has already carried out a study for the Delhi government on the sources of particulate matter. That report is yet to be released.


The Hindu, 31 January, 2016, http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/govt-tied-in-knots-over-oddeven-data/article8173357.ece?utm_content=buffer08f32&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&u


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