New Delhi: Air pollution and dense fog continue to disrupt daily life in Delhi, Haryana, and Faridabad, prompting authorities to implement strict measures, including halting construction activities and work-from-home policies to combat the deteriorating air quality.
Earlier today, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced on his social media handle that 50% of the staff in government offices will work from home due to the alarming pollution levels.
Delhi had an AQI reading of 426 at 9 am on Wednesday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). An AQI of 400 or higher is classified as "severe," posing health risks to healthy individuals and those with pre-existing medical conditions.
All but one of the 38 monitoring stations in the national capital were in the red zone. The Lodhi Road station was not in the red zone recording an AQI in the "very poor" category.
Delhi's air quality first breached the "severe plus" category on Sunday, leading to the implementation of Stage IV restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Monday morning.
In nearby Gurugram, Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar issued a similar advisory urging corporate and private sector companies to adopt a work-from-home policy, allowing half of their employees to work remotely from November 20. He emphasized that such measures would help reduce vehicular traffic, alleviate pollution, and ease road congestion.
Faridabad too followed similar guidelines, with the district administration recommending work-from-home for private sector employees to curb traffic emissions. Authorities believe this will offer some relief from the escalating air pollution and the accompanying traffic jams. Faridabad DC had earlier ordered the closure of schools up to Class 12 as part of its pollution control measures.
The Haryana government, in compliance with the Air Quality Management Commission’s guidelines, has banned all construction activities and the burning of garbage. These restrictions will remain in place until air quality improves. Gurugram’s administration has called on businesses to actively support these efforts by implementing remote working practices.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) across Haryana cities paints a grim picture. As of November 20, Gurugram’s AQI stood at 388, Faridabad at 270, Bahadurgarh at 399, and Charkhi Dadri at 368. Other cities, including Hisar (327), Jind (348), and Sonipat (331), also reported hazardous levels. In Ambala, the AQI recorded 174, indicating moderately polluted air.
To tackle the crisis, GRAP-4 (Graded Response Action Plan) measures have been enforced in Charkhi Dadri too. These include halting mining and construction work and increasing checks on vehicles older than 15 years. The Regional Transport Authority in the Badhra area seized and fined several vehicles for violations, with three impounded. (Agency inputs)
