MORE than a million private cars were banned from New Delhi’s roads on Friday, as authorities began testing drastic new measures to cut smog in the world’s most polluted capital.
Advertisement
Notre Dame’s Will Fuller declares for NFL draft
Fuller had a magnificent 2015 campaign with 20.3 yards per catch on 62 receptions and 14 touchdowns. Fuller had been consistent during bowl prep that he’d make a final decision after the Fiesta Bowl.
Between 8am and 2pm, PM 2.5-particulate matter with diameter less than 2.5 microns-levels fell from 194 μg/m3 (microgram per cu. m of air) to 188 μg/m3, according to a report by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), ministry of earth sciences.
Iran says Saudi will face ‘divine revenge’
“The divine hand of revenge will take the Saudi politicians by the throat”, Khamenei, Iran’s highest authority, said on Sunday. Some of the men were shot by a firing squad and some were beheaded, a ministry spokesman said on Al-Arabiya TV.
“The biggest challenge is to make people realise that this fight against pollution is for them, for their health, for their own good”, Gopal Raj, Delhi’s transport minister Gopal Rai told the AFP news agency. A total of 276 violators were challaned by traffic and the city’s transport department as opposed to yesterday’s 203.
Guus Hiddink wants Didier Drogba back at Chelsea
However, Steve Holland, will take control of team matters for the game alongside Eddie Newton, who will now take on the role of assistant first-team coach.
The restrictions will run until January 15 on a trial basis as part of a wider drive aimed at reducing pollution levels that also includes shutting some coal-fired power plants and vacuuming roads to reduce dust.
On Saturday, the Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was seen going to his office in a bicycle.
Additional traffic cops were deployed to ensure only cars with odd-numbered license plates were on the roads.
Special commissioner of Police (Traffic) Muktesh Chander said that they have challaned as many as 81 people till 5pm and the rest were fined during peak evening hours.
Most drivers appeared to be adhering to the rule with Delhi’s usually clogged roads flowing relatively freely. However, skeptics said with schools and some offices closed because of the New Year’s holiday, the capital has yet to get a real idea of how motorists will adhere to the restrictions.
Under such circumstances, many local commuters choose to car-pool or takes buses and other public transport means. Delhi government is running 5082 buses including 1170 private buses today.
Areas like Rohtas Nagar, Patparganj and Kondli bordering Uttar Pradesh showed higher air pollution levels compared with areas towards central Delhi, the government said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said that the AAP government went ahead with the odd-even plan despite apprehensions that the move may have an adverse impact on the party’s vote bank.
The pilot plan will stay in force till January 15. 25 categories have received exemption from the restrictions, including emergency service vehicles, taxis and cars being driven by women, which may have only female co- passengers and children up to age of 12.
Advertisement
We spoke to an AAP spokesperson aka an impartial journalist, “Well there were allegations of nearly 70% cars being exempted from the Odd-Even rule, and media declaring it a success on Jan 1 when normally 90% of the vehicles are off road”.
