Delhi air pollution: 50% of Delhi govt employees to work from home; flights, trains cancelled amid low visibility
Delhi government has announced that 50% of its employees will work from home today as the national capital continues to struggle with severe air pollution.
Delhi air pollution: The Delhi government has announced that 50% of its employees will work from home today as the national capital continues to struggle with severe air pollution.
"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.
Air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR have surpassed the "severe" threshold, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) continuously exceeding 450 in multiple areas. This high AQI has triggered Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the most restrictive level designed to combat hazardous pollution.
Air pollution in Delhi hit "severe" levels on Wednesday, with an overall air quality index (AQI) of 422 at 6 a.m., choking residents and covering the city in thick smoke. According to Flightradar, visibility at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport has deteriorated, resulting in 119 flights being delayed and 6 cancelled. Authorities have closed physical classes in schools and prohibited construction in the city due to the hazardous air.
However, as compared to Tuesday's reading, the air quality index has dropped from 494 to 422.
The minimum temperature in Delhi fell to 12.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, the lowest of the season, as cold northwesterly winds continued to blow, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).