NEW DELHI: Amid alarming levels of air pollution in the national capital, Central government offices in Delhi and the NCR region have been advised to implement staggered working hours and promote carpooling or the use of public transport to reduce vehicular emissions.
These measures are part of Stage IV (Severe+) actions under the revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for Delhi-NCR, aimed at combating deteriorating air quality.
In an office memorandum issued to secretaries of all Central ministries and departments, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) stated: “Given the Severe+ air pollution levels in Delhi, various ministries, departments, and organizations (MDOs) of the Central government are advised to adopt the following measures for offices in Delhi/NCR, as outlined by the Commission for Air Quality Management under GRAP, until Stage IV remains in effect.”
The DoPT emphasized encouraging officers and staff using personal vehicles to carpool or shift to public transport to help curb vehicular pollution.
While urging Central ministries, departments, and organizations to adapt these measures based on their functional needs, the DoPT stressed that staff productivity and operational efficiency must not be compromised during the implementation of these steps.
