50% of Delhi government employees to work from home as air quality moves to 'severe' category

New Delhi: The Delhi government on Wednesday announced that all government offices functioning under the Delhi Government and Municipal Corporation of Delhi will operate with 50 per cent of the staff strength and the remaining 50 per cent of staff will work from home in view of the deteriorating air quality in the national capital.

The national capital has been witnessing 'severe' levels of air quality for the past couple of days.

"In pursuance of Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) Order dated 17.11.2024 and directions contained in the judgment dated 18.11.2024 of Hon'ble Supreme Court in W.P. (C) No. 13029/1985; all government offices functioning under Government of NCT of Delhi and Municipal Corporation of Delhi shall operate with 50 per cent of the staff strength and the remaining 50% staff will work from home," the Delhi government stated in the notice.

"All Administrative Secretaries and Heads of Departments of GNCTD shall attend their respective offices and call upon relevant officers/officials as per the requirement to ensure uninterrupted delivery of all essential and emergency public services," it added.

The order further read that hospitals and other public health-related establishments, fire services, prisons, public transport, electricity, water, sanitation and related Municipal services and other essential services are exempted from this order.

"The order shall be implemented with immediate effect till Stage IV of the GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) is in force. This issues with the approval of the Competent Authority," it added.

The air quality in the national capital deteriorated back into the 'severe' category on Wednesday morning as a thin blanket of smog covered parts of the city, reducing visibility and the quality of air touching a low level of air quality index (AQI).

The air quality index had been reeling under the 'severe plus' category for the past two consecutive days.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the national capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) at 424 today, placing it in the 'severe' category.

Earlier on Tuesday, Gopal Rai wrote to Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav requesting to immediately convene an emergency meeting with the Delhi Government, IIT Kanpur and all other central Government Departments like DGCA, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Defence etc. involved in issuing clearance to conduct cloud seeding in Delhi, as an emergency measure.

Gopal Rai said, "The time has come to carry out artificial rainfall to break the layer of smog. The Government of Delhi with the help of IIT Kanpur has last year explored cloud seeding as an emergency measure to artificially induce rain and reduce air pollution during such critical periods. This year we started preparations in August to carry out cloud seeding. Despite several requests meeting was not held earlier."

The national capital's air quality index (AQI) has remained in the "severe" category for days, with PM2.5 concentrations surging past 400 mg/m3 -- far beyond the World Health Organization's (WHO) safe limit of 15 mg/m3 for 24-hour exposure. (ANI)

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