In a piece of good news for many, the Delhi government on Wednesdsay that 50 per cent of Delhi government employees will work from home as the national capital continues to grapple with severe air pollution. The development comes the pollution levels in Delhi-NCR breached the "severe" threshold, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) above 450 in many areas.
"To reduce pollution, the Delhi government has decided to work from home in government offices. 50% of employees will work from home. For its implementation, a meeting will be held with officials at 1 pm today in the Secretariat," Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said.
With this latest order, the offices under the Delhi government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will follow revised schedules. As per the order, MCD offices will operate from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, while Delhi government offices will function from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm. This order will be in effect till February 28, 2025.
Prior to this, the Delhi government had announced staggered office timings for its offices and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) be3cause of the air pollution.
After the air quality in the city deteriorated, the Central Secretariat Service (CSS) officers on Monday demanded work-from-home, staggered working hours and air purifiers in all office buildings to mitigate the health impact of the severe pollution levels.
In a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the association said that poor air quality has also had a noticeable effect on workplace productivity with employees experiencing symptoms such as respiratory issues, eye irritation, fatigue and general discomfort.
"It has become imperative to take urgent measures to ensure the well-being of all, particularly those engaged in government services," said the letter by the CSS Forum.
The association in the letter said that alarming deterioration in air quality, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) persistently hovering around hazardous levels, poses severe health risks, especially to those with pre-existing conditions, the elderly and the children.
