NGT turns down Delhi govt plea on odd-even, sticks with no exemptions to women drivers, two wheelers
New Delhi : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday turned down the Delhi government's plea to exempt women drivers and two-wheelers from the odd-even vehicle rationing scheme.
The Delhi government had files a plea on Monday, after NGT asked them to go ahead with odd-even-rule implementation to curb rising air pollution with no exemption to anyone except emergency vehicles.
Stressing women safety issues in the capital, Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Jai Hind on Saturday criticised the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) order against exemptions in the odd-even scheme and sought the inclusion of single women drivers.
She also condemned the NGT for its order on the inclusion of two-wheelers in the vehicle rationing scheme that was supposed to be enforced from November 13-17 but the Delhi government refused to implement without these two exemptions.
In a series of tweets, she asked whether the NGT had checked availability of buses and Metro services before ordering the 60 lakh people using two-wheelers won't be exempted, or consult women about concerns on women safety. "It's an impractical order which shall ensure odd even failure!" she said.
She said she believed in gender equality and would herself never avail any exemptions but stressed that letting off women from the road rationing scheme was a necessity due to security reasons.
"Like most women, I am against exemptions and wont avail any. But exemptions to women in odd even is a necessity due to serious security concerns. However, I totally support NO exemptions to VIP & Govt Servants," she tweeted.
(With IANS inputs)
