To tackle the problem of pollution in cities, policy makers think that drastic actions like temporary use of odd-even number scheme for vehicles, closing schools, factories, construction activities, and banning the use of certain type of vehicles are a way forward. Even then the air is not clean. Vehicles more than 15 years old comprise one percent of the total; and taking them off the road will not make any difference. Banning certain fuels and car types arbitrarily is not proper. Diesel engines produce more PM 2.5 and less CO2 than petrol or CNG engines. On the other hand, both diesel and CNG engines produce more NO than petrol engines. No one has measured the amount of NO that CNG engines are emitting. Arbitrary bans on vehicles that have passed mandated fitness tests and periodic pollution tests are unfair. What is needed is the scientific and reliable information about the source of pollutants on a continuing basis and the technologies that will work to reduce - pollution from them.

Correct Option (B)

The passage critically evaluates the current policy responses to urban pollution, characterizing them as "drastic actions" and "arbitrary bans." It highlights their ineffectiveness, stating that "even then the air is not clean" and that certain measures "will not make any difference." The passage explicitly advocates for a shift towards "scientific and reliable information about the source of pollutants on a continuing basis and the technologies that will work to reduce pollution from them." Therefore, option (B) accurately encapsulates the passage's central argument: that impulsive, unscientific measures are insufficient, and a data-driven, evidence-based strategy is required for effective pollution control.

Incorrect Options:

• Option (A) Arbitrary curbs on vehicles to reduce pollution are difficult to implement. The passage primarily focuses on the ineffectiveness and lack of scientific basis of arbitrary measures, rather than their implementation challenges. While such curbs might be difficult to implement, this is not the core implication conveyed.
• Option (C) A heavy penalty should be enforced on those driving without periodic pollution tests. The passage does not propose penalties as a solution. Instead, it emphasizes the need for scientific information and technological interventions. Furthermore, it criticizes arbitrary bans even on vehicles that have passed mandated tests, indicating a focus beyond mere enforcement of existing test requirements.
• Option (D) In the absence of laws to deal with the problems of pollution, administration tends to make arbitrary decisions. The passage does not suggest a lack of laws. It describes existing policy actions but critiques their arbitrary nature and ineffectiveness, implying a problem with the approach to policy-making and implementation rather than a legal vacuum.