With reports coming in regarding Delhi being categorised as the most polluted city in the world by WHO, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung is considering a proposal of implementing ‘odd and even licence plate restrictions’.
Jung has also held high level meetings throughout the day with secretaries and heads of departments to review their performance with special emphasis on power, water and drainage. He also sought regular reports on the same and asked his officials to make field visits.
To curb the rising pollution and congestion on roads, several major cities of the world have switched to this licence plate ban in which vehicles with odd number plates are allowed on one day while even on the next day.
It would put a check on the number of vehicles plying on city roads to contain pollution, said Transport department officials.
The proposal is at a preliminary stage with the Lt Governor office.
The Ministry of Road and Surface Transport had formulated a draft on the similar line when VP Singh was prime minister.
But the draft was put on the shelves. Responding to a query related to increasing pollution level in the national capital, Jung said that he has received suggestions from various quarters to implement the ‘odd and even licence plate restrictions’ and is actively considering the same.
In a statement, Jung also said: ‘Field visits should be conducted regularly and weekly report should be submitted without fail. Officers in the Secretariat should also visit their field offices. Action should be taken on the issues noticed during those visits. Wherever subordinates are found to be not discharging their duties properly, accountability should be fixed and stringent action should be taken wherever necessary.’
In a major move to enhance the functioning of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), the LG has directed the officials to appoint a managerial staff for DTC depot. The CMD of DTC informed LG that monitoring of biometric attendance has been introduced in the department headquarters. ‘There are deficiencies in maintenance of toilets, canteens, staff rest rooms at various bus depots. The department officials have been asked to renovate two abandoned rooms at the Narela Bus Terminal to convert them into pass sections and public toilets.
The department is also facing shortage of drivers,’ the officials informed Jung. He ordered to constitute a committee of three senior officials including the CMD of DTC to address the problems faced by the department.
Jung directed the Public Works Department, municipal corporations and hospital authorities to make the hospitals’ environment patient friendly.
Other departments also submitted their reports on which Jung ordered them to streamline the functioning of the department.