Work From Home for 50% Delhi Government Employees as Air Pollution Crisis Worsens

New Delhi: The AAP-led Delhi government on Wednesday announced a 'Work from Home' for 50 per cent of government employees amid the worsening air pollution in the national capital.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai in a tweet on X said, "To reduce pollution, Delhi government decided to work from home in government offices. 50% employees will work from home."

He added, "For its implementation, a meeting will be held with the officials at 1 pm today in the Secretariat."

This comes as the government earlier announced staggered office timings for its offices and the MCD.

The timings of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) offices were fixed from 8:30 am to 5 pm, while that of Delhi government offices were 10 am to 6:30 pm. 

On Wednesday, November 20, the air quality in Delhi continued to be in the 'severe' category as a thin blanket of smog-covered parts of the city, reducing visibility.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the national capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) at 424 as of 9 am today, placing it in the 'severe' category.

Rai on Tuesday 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.

He said, "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."

“We are continuously working. We have banned BS-III petrol four wheelers, BS-IV diesel vehicles. All trucks, diesel buses coming from outside have been banned. Schools have been closed for 10th and 12th as well. Thirdly, timings have been staggered for offices. About work from home, we are also working on that. A decision will be taken soon. We will also implement that. We are working on all the things that are in our hands and we will continue to do so. The layer of smog has to be broken.”

(With Inputs from agencies)