Delhi air pollution: Earlier, the government announced staggered office timings for its offices and the MCD.
Delhi air pollution: Environment Minister Gopal Rai declared on Wednesday that half of the employees in government offices in the national capital will work from home due to the declining air quality.
The Delhi government has chosen to allow employees to work from home at government offices in an effort to cut down on pollution. In government offices, half of the employees will work from home, Rai wrote on X.
He continued, “I will meet with the officers later in the day to discuss the implementation of the provision.”
The Delhi government had already said that the MCD and its offices would have different hours. Delhi government offices were open from 10 am to 6.30 pm, while the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) offices were open from 8.30 am to 5 pm.
The “alarmingly high” levels of air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) raise health and safety concerns.
Delhi’s Air Quality Remains “Severe-Plus”, Experts Warn of Health Risks
Even though Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was lower than Monday’s record 494 at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, it was still classified as “severe-plus.””Severe” refers to an AQI between 401 and 450, while “severe-plus” refers to an AQI between 451 and 500. There is a 500 cap on the scale.
Experts emphasized that individuals of all ages are susceptible to a variety of acute and chronic illnesses due to high pollution levels.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s air quality index (AQI) has been bad for six of the last seven days. On Sunday, it was 441; on Monday, it was 417; on November 15, it was 396; on November 14, it was 424; and on November 13, it was 418.
Under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan, or GRAP, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) called for more stringent pollution control measures for the Delhi-NCR, which prohibit all construction and permit schools to cancel classes for the majority of pupils.
According to weather predictions, the city will not get any relief for at least the next three days. Surface-level winds are not expected to increase in strength and disperse any of the accumulated toxins that have been affecting Delhi’s air for days.
