The Bombay high court on Thursday asked the concerned government departments and ministries to file their response by February 9, in connection with a PIL seeking implementation of odd-even formula for private cars in Mumbai on the lines of Delhi to control air pollution.
The court asked the government of Maharashtra, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, State Ministry of Environment, Regional Transport Office and Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai to file affidavits in reply to the PIL.
The division bench of Justice V.M. Kanade and Justice RevatiMohite-Dere on Thursday decided to take up hearing on a notice of motion pending since 1999. The motion was taken out in a petition filed by Debi Goenka of Bombay Environmental Action Group about a scheme proposed in 2004 to restrain vehicles by 20 per cent on any day in a week. The Maharashtra government had then said that this scheme could not be implemented. However, despite court direction no reply was filed in connection with the PIL seeking implementation of odd-even formula.
In the meantime, advocates Armin Wandrewala and Ravi Gadagkar appeared as intervenors in this matter. The court has posted this matter for further hearing on February 9.
Shadaab Patel, in his PIL seeking implementation of odd-even scheme has contended that the residents of the mega-polis are facing health problems due to air pollution caused by carbon monoxide emitted from vehicles and by burning and other ways of disposal of solid waste.
