Fire incidents between April 15 to 27 have increased threefold compared to last year, which has caused "significant damage" to the city's air quality, the Delhi government today said.
The government's claim came at a time when reports of various organiations suggest that major impact has "not been noticed" so far on the improvement of air quality due to the second phase of the implementation of the odd-even scheme.
In support of his claims, Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai today released a data on the fire incidents across the national capital from April 15-27 in 2015 and 2016. These incidents also include fire in houses.
Rai said that on April 15 last year, only 47 fire incidents had taken place but on the same day this year, 113 incidents occurred. 104 such incidents were reported on April 16, 2016 while on the same date, 51 incidents had taken place last year.
This year, 117 fire incidents were reported on April 26 while last year only 69 such cases had occurred.
Rai said that yesterday, 142 fire incidents took place, but on April 27 last year, only 61 incidents had been reported.
"We don't know who is behind sudden increasing numbers of these fire incidents. In last 15 days, fire incidents have increased by three times compared to such incidents last year during the same period, which has left significant impact on damaging the city's air quality," the transport minister said.
Claiming that many people are following odd-even scheme, the minister appealed to media to conduct an open survey on the road-rationing plan so that a clear picture could come out before the masses.
"These days, the play of fail and pass on odd-even scheme is currently running on the odd-even scheme.
"Your (media) and our opinions may be different on the scheme, but we should carry out an open survey involving people so that a clear picture could come out on the scheme. We will be able to decide on the scheme after studying these survey reports," he said.
Rai claimed that during the second phase of odd-even
scheme, most people are following odd-even scheme but they have three or four challenges.
"When we meet people, they say that odd-even scheme is good, but tv channels are showing different pictures," he claimed.
He said out of three challenges, two challenges before the people are hot weather and opening of schools following which a car is doing more trips on the capital's roads.
Rai said the third challenge is a "planned conspiracy" to derail the road-rationing plan, but people are following it.
Last week, the Transport Department had constituted a six-member committee to study traffic-congestion during the second phase of odd-even scheme and asked it to submit its report after April 30 when the scheme ends.
