Delhi pollution: All private, government offices ordered to operate at 50% capacity on site, work-from-home for the rest

Following the rising levels of pollution in Delhi, the state government on Monday ordered government and private office to operate at 50 per cent capacity on site and the rest in work-from-home mode.

The order comes after Graded Response Action Plan level 3, which is determined by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), was invoked in the national capital.

For schools, the Delhi government had already announced restrictions, including not letting children play in open areas when when the air quality is extremely poor.

On Tuesday, government offices in Delhi were expected to witness low attendance as a public holiday was declared to mark the 350th Shaheedi Purab of Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Attempts to control pollution are made through invoking GRAP levels in the national capital. The levels are determined on how much disruption the city can take depending on the severity of air pollution, which has been a winter phenomenon in recent years.

Instructions to operate at 50 per cent capacity were given even on Saturday as a precautionary measure under GRAP-3.

GRAP 1 restrictions come into force when the AQI is between 201 to 300, GRAP 2 restrictions come into force when it is between 301 to 400, and GRAP 3 come into effect when it is between 401 to 450. GRAP 4 restrictions are imposed when the AQI crosses 451.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the government is implementing all pollution-control measures under GRAP 3 "with full seriousness and round-the-clock monitoring".

Further, the government has urged people to avoid open burning of waste and biomass, and to stay alert about dust pollution and report violations through the Green Delhi app.

The air quality index (AQI) level in Delhi was 435, as per air quality tracker aqi.in. The AQI in other cities of the NCR was no better. 

In Noida and Greater Noida, the AQI at 7:34 AM on Tuesday were 456 and 455, respectively. Ghaziabad recorded an AQI of 454. In Haryana’s Faridabad, the AQI reading was 444, while in Gurugram, it was 404.