Delhi offices to run with 50% staff; rest to work from home

As the Capital’s air quality continued to remain in the ‘very poor’ category, the Delhi government on Monday issued an order directing all government and private offices to work with 50% employees onsite and the rest to work from home, with “immediate effect”. 

The order will remain in force till Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is in place.  

Exemption has been granted to certain emergency and essential services including, hospitals, fire services, sanitation and related municipal services. “Disaster management and related services, forest, environment, department/agencies engaged in air pollution control, monitoring and enforcement activities (like teams deployed to curb biomass burning, dust control, GRAP measures etc.) and other essential/emergency services shall stand exempted from this direction,” the order read.  

In some Delhi government offices, the directions will be enforced with certain preconditions. “…the remaining 50% staff shall work from home, provided that the Administrative Secretaries and Heads of Departments can call officers/officials to office, as required to ensure uninterrupted delivery of essential and emergency public services,” the order said. 

All administrative secretaries and heads of departments have been directed to attend office regularly. 

The government’s decision comes after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) revised and tightened the GRAP last week, moving some of the measures earlier listed under Stage IV (enforced when the AQI is between 451 and 500) to Stage III (enforced when the AQI is between 401 and 450). 

Until last week, the CAQM directed State governments in the Delhi-NCR “to take a decision” on allowing public, municipal, and private offices to work on 50% strength. The CAQM revised the enforcement of GRAP and this provision, earlier listed under Stage IV of GRAP, was enforced under Stage III. 

“The violation of the directions issued under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act. 1986 or the rules made thereunder shall be punishable under Section 15 and 16 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and other applicable laws,” the order read.  

Meanwhile, the Central Pollution Control Board said the air quality will likely remain in the ‘very poor’ from Tuesday to Thursday. However, the forecast did not consider the effect of the ash from eruption of Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano on Sunday.