Delhi Govt implements 50% work-from-home amid severe air pollution

New Delhi, Dec 17: Amid severe air pollution in Delhi-NCR, the Delhi government, led by CM Rekha Gupta, has implemented a mandatory 50% work-from-home policy for all government and private institutions.

Exemptions have been provided for essential services such as healthcare. Additionally, the government has imposed a complete ban on construction activities in Delhi.

Institutions that fail to comply with these rules will face fines, according to Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra.

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The Labour Department has also announced that construction work will remain suspended for 16 days during the “Grade-4” pollution period. Registered workers affected by this halt will receive ₹10,000 compensation directly into their bank accounts.

Additionally, the Delhi government has restricted fuel supply for vehicles without a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate. Vehicles from outside Delhi that do not meet BS-VI emission standards have also been barred from entering the city.

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As of Wednesday, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 329, placing it in the “very poor” category. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported that at 7 a.m., most monitoring stations were below the “severe” range, though some areas still recorded “poor” levels.

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On Tuesday, the 24-hour AQI was 354, remaining in the “severe” category. For reference, AQI levels are classified as: 0–50 good, 51–100 satisfactory, 101–200 moderate, 201–300 poor, 301–400 very poor, and 401–500 severe.

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