Goel violates Odd-Even, lauds Centre for peripheral e-way

Taking a jibe at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Odd-Even traffic scheme, senior BJP leader Vijay Goel on Monday violated the scheme by travelling in his odd-numbered car along with Delhi BJP in-charge Shyam Jaju.

"Odd-Even can only curb pollution by 1-2 per cent, if at all. All the 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 said while addressing the media after he violated the Odd Even scheme.

"Whatever little has been achieved is by construction of Easter-Western peripheral expressway. They were supposed to plant 1.5 lakh plants. they haven't planted any. For five years, you will not do anything and then wake up and delare Odd-Even?" Goel added while lauding central government's efforts to curb pollution.

Goel who had announced to violate Odd-Even on Sunday, commuted along with the Delhi BJP in-charge Shyam Jaju, in his car to ITO. The BJP leader had also violated the earlier edition of the Odd-Even scheme as he was charged a penalty of Rs 2,000 in 2016 as well.

"Vehicles contribute to 28 per cent of pollution levels in Delhi, in which cars contribute only 3 per cent. This comes to cars contributing 0.84 per cent to total Delhi pollution which means this Odd-Even is leaving 99.58 per cent causative agents of Delhi pollution untouched. #OddEvenNatak," Goel said in a tweet just minutes before he violated the scheme.

The third Odd-Even car rationing scheme aimed to provide relief from pollution kicked-off on Monday. The scheme will remain in force till November 15 and the rules for this will be applicable in Delhi from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Violation of the scheme will attract a penalty of Rs 4,000, which is double the amount charged in the earlier editions of the scheme.

( With inputs from IANS )