The Delhi government announced on Wednesday that 50% of its workforce would work from home due to the alarming air pollution levels in the national capital. Delhi-NCR continues to experience hazardous air quality, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) surpassing 450 in many areas. In response, Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the most severe level, has been activated to address the crisis. Environment Minister Gopal Rai stated that the government is taking this step to reduce pollution, with further implementation discussions scheduled for a meeting at the Secretariat later in the day.
Neighboring Gurugram has also implemented similar measures. Starting November 20, private institutions and corporate offices in the city are advised to allow 50% of their employees to work from home. This directive, issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Gurugram, aligns with recommendations from the Commission for Air Quality Management to mitigate the impact of severe pollution. The policy will remain in place until further notice, aiming to limit vehicular and industrial emissions during the crisis.
Despite a slight improvement in Delhi’s AQI, which dropped to 424 from Tuesday’s 488, air quality remains in the “severe” category. Monday’s AQI of 484 marked the second-worst air quality day since 2015. The Delhi government has urged the Center to convene an emergency meeting to discuss measures such as artificial rain to combat the smog. The ongoing crisis has also sparked political clashes between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP over accountability for the pollution levels.
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